Normal Men

Episode 25: Arm the Moderate Kimmellites

Lowtax gives us a report on South Florida and the Very Specific Type of Guy (hint: Jeremy Shockey jersey) that lives there now (0:00-3:15). This week’s main event is Jimmy Kimmel, and the Men review MAGA’s effort to bring everyone who doesn’t salute Charlie Kirk at every opportunity to heel (3:15-32:45). Tom Homan secures the (Cava) bag before a check in on Trump Administration approvals and energy politics (32:45-1:06:30). We also talk about Maine (Ed is from Maine) and the quixotic politics on the margins of the lower 48 (1:06:30-1:21:15). Finally, a brief check in on the biggest embarrassment in the history of South Carolinian football and the run for his money being offered by the UNC Tarheels (1:21:15-1:27:00).

Episode 24 : Cheerwine, Cheers, Whines

Chapters:
0:00 Cheerwine & Boston Baked Beans9:34 Normal Men Intro & News Preview11:34 Charlie Kirk Assassination Discussion22:09 Federal Reserve: Lisa Cook Update32:13 Hyundai Workers & Korea Diplomacy41:17 Ed Becomes a Cyborg: Eye Surgery53:22 George's MLS Team Sets Record1:03:56 The Joys of Sports Fandom
Chapters:
0:00 Cheerwine & Boston Baked Beans9:34 Normal Men Intro & News Preview11:34 Charlie Kirk Assassination Discussion22:09 Federal Reserve: Lisa Cook Update32:13 Hyundai Workers & Korea Diplomacy41:17 Ed Becomes a Cyborg: Eye Surgery53:22 George's MLS Team Sets Record1:03:56 The Joys of Sports Fandom

Episode 23: Super Sicario

The Normal Men are back and covering it all this week. To start (0:00-17:30) we check in on the fighting game community before Soda Chat and learnings about the weird stuff they’re drinking up in Maine. George and Propter reminisce about A&W and the gang laughs at grocery stores. Next up, Elon’s unhealthy obsession with fertility and race, as well as some discussion of the very real shifts in global birth rates around the world (17:30-30:30). Speaker of the House Mike Johnson broke some news this week: the President is a snitch (30:30-42:45) and the all carrot no stick Republican governing theory turns its eye to Georgia manufacturing (42:45-57:30). Our government murdered 11 Venezuelans this week, and the Men discuss, followed by some conversation about movies ranging from the light-hearted to the troubling (57:30-1:19:30). 

Episode 22: Talkin’ ’Bout The Noles

Join the Normal Men for a break in the midst of Labor Day weekend for some college football chat and a victory lap celebrating Lowtax’s beloved Florida State University Seminoles (0:00-12:00). Next we talk Senate primaries and Senior Maine Correspondent Ed explains why Maine is actually a very large state, George commemorates one of our strongest Representatives, and the Men talk through the doomed logistics of applying tariffs to packages (12:00-42:00). Next up, it’s Glonzo time as Propter leads a discussion about the health of the President (42:00-51:00). Then it’s on to LLMs and why they’re such efficient mechanisms for cooking your brain (51:00-1:19:00). Finally a little Labor Day roundup of how each of the Men intended to spend their day off, including bachelor life, woodworking, grilling, potty training, and an anecdote about how seriously the state of Georgia takes college football (1:19:00-1:31:00).

Episode 21: Duck Duck ICE ft. Musicology Duck

Kick back with your heavily caffeinated beverage of choice as the boys dive into the world of canned stimulants (0:00 to 20:00). This week we’ve got Musicology Duck on to share some of her experiences from the streets of DC amidst a federal occupation of the nation’s capital (20:00 to 1:03:00). We also dive into President Trump’s efforts to take control of interest rates by an attempt to remove Governor Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors (1:03:00 to 1:32:15) before a review of a landmark election result in Iowa (1:32:15 to end).

Episode 20: The Last Great American Occupation ft. Lucy

The Men start this week talking about our fears, including heights, creepy-crawlies, and amoebas (from 0:00-5:40). Then: we’re going to Swift School this week as the Normal Men get up to speed on Taylor Swift and why we should pay more attention to her career (from 6:00-43:00). Then it’s time to chat about the large number of federal law enforcement officers and National Guard troops who have descended on the nation’s capital (from 43:00-1:05:00. Finally, we are unfortunately putting a few notable Democrats on flub watch. (1:05:00 to end)
Chapters:
0:00 Unusual Fears and Water Woes4:50 Introducing Taylor Swift9:58 Taylor Swift's Impact and Misconceptions19:30 Taylor Swift, Kelce, and Master Rights33:00 Artistic Output and Political Stance42:00 The Federal Presence in Washington D.C.53:00 DC: Cosplay, Danger, and Deep State1:04:00 Political Cringe: Catabu and Jeffries1:15:00 Chris Murphy's DC Comments & Wrap-up

Episode 19: Chat-GLP

This week your Normal Men are taking a trip to the UK for a garden party, which gives us the opportunity to discuss one of the most important - and impotent - thinkers on the Silicon Valley right. We’re also putting a Danish spin on things this week with an unfortunate story about what they’re doing in zoos over there. Finally, we chat at length about GLP-1s and the peptide revolution, including our own Propter’s experience with two different versions of the weight loss drugs.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro Banter & Podcast Open5:19 Danish Zoo & Scandinavian Culture11:54 US Immigration & Urban/Rural Divide20:34 Canadian Hockey Riots & Sports26:36 Financial Times, Alt-Right & Yarvin37:06 Yarvin's Tech & UK Reactionaries46:45 Billionaires, Tech Failures & Elon Musk56:25 GLP-1 Drugs: Introduction & Benefits1:02:01 GLP-1: Safety & Personal Experience1:17:42 GLP-1: Zepbound Success & Market
Chapters:
0:00 Intro Banter & Podcast Open5:19 Danish Zoo & Scandinavian Culture11:54 US Immigration & Urban/Rural Divide20:34 Canadian Hockey Riots & Sports26:36 Financial Times, Alt-Right & Yarvin37:06 Yarvin's Tech & UK Reactionaries46:45 Billionaires, Tech Failures & Elon Musk56:25 GLP-1 Drugs: Introduction & Benefits1:02:01 GLP-1: Safety & Personal Experience1:17:42 GLP-1: Zepbound Success & Market

Episode 18: Ignorance Is BLS ft. Layla al-Sheikh

The Normal Men are thrilled to welcome Layla al-Sheikh, a Palestinian scholar and activist, to help us understand the political roots of the genocide in Gaza and the path forward towards a Palestinian state. Then we get to talk about the nitty-gritty of the US labor market’s statistical system after some significant developments. Also on the menu: Disco Elysium, a defense of Oracle, and discussion of two of the biggest freaks inside the Trump Administration’s impressive roster of degenerates. You can follow Layla on Bluesky @diplomatofnight.com and her work is also available at to-our-land.ghost.io.
Chapters:
0:00 Disco Elysium & Gaming Debate8:05 Introducing Gaza & Guest Leila Al Sheikh11:07 Palestine-Israel Conflict History30:20 Erosion of Peace & October 7th Attacks43:28 Gaza Genocide & Shifting US Opinion1:05:43 International Recognition of Palestine1:15:50 US Jobs Report & BLS Controversy1:28:00 Outro & Random Banter
Chapters:
0:00 Disco Elysium & Gaming Debate8:05 Introducing Gaza & Guest Leila Al Sheikh11:07 Palestine-Israel Conflict History30:20 Erosion of Peace & October 7th Attacks43:28 Gaza Genocide & Shifting US Opinion1:05:43 International Recognition of Palestine1:15:50 US Jobs Report & BLS Controversy1:28:00 Outro & Random Banter

Episode 17: Ordering In, Hulking Out ft. Josie Riesman

This week the boys dive deep into food delivery and the political, economic, and technological forces that drive it…and the discourse around it. We’re also lucky to be joined by Josie Riesman, the author of the definitive book on wrestling promoter Vince McMahon. She helps us understand the role that Hulk Hogan specifically and wrestling played in shaping our politics and culture. You can follow her on Bluesky @josie.zone. Her work can also be found at josie.zone including Ringmaster: Vince McMahon And The Unmaking of America. Please note George’s audio sucks for this one and we’re really sorry about that but Ed has promised us the mics are in the mail.
Chapters:
0:00 Donkey Kong & Podcast Intro4:11 Fast Food Delivery & Jason Steen16:44 Jason Steen's Character & System23:43 App Addiction & DoorDash Economics39:04 Health, Cooking & Human Connection50:14 Guest Josie Reisman: Wrestling History1:09:47 Hulk Hogan: Controversies & Gawker1:18:10 Guest Outro & Farewell
Chapters:
0:00 Donkey Kong & Podcast Intro4:11 Fast Food Delivery & Jason Steen16:44 Jason Steen's Character & System23:43 App Addiction & DoorDash Economics39:04 Health, Cooking & Human Connection50:14 Guest Josie Reisman: Wrestling History1:09:47 Hulk Hogan: Controversies & Gawker1:18:10 Guest Outro & Farewell

Episode 16: The Shadowy Hand of the Brooklyn DSA

The Normal Men discuss the toxic effects on democracy and growth of high income inequality and the means of maintaining it (including crypto). Also on the docket: more Epstein and Glonzo discussion and regretfully a review of why New York politicians are being so weird.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Quebec Militia & Normalcy3:00 Economic Equality and Growth12:30 Concentrated Wealth and Political Power23:00 Trump, Epstein, and Political Fallout36:00 Murdoch, Media, and "Glonzo"47:00 NYC Mayoral Race: Mamdani vs. Machine1:03:00 2028 Presidential Race Outlook1:14:00 Final Predictions and Outro
Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Quebec Militia & Normalcy3:00 Economic Equality and Growth12:30 Concentrated Wealth and Political Power23:00 Trump, Epstein, and Political Fallout36:00 Murdoch, Media, and "Glonzo"47:00 NYC Mayoral Race: Mamdani vs. Machine1:03:00 2028 Presidential Race Outlook1:14:00 Final Predictions and Outro
Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Quebec Militia & Normalcy3:00 Economic Equality and Growth12:30 Concentrated Wealth and Political Power23:00 Trump, Epstein, and Political Fallout36:00 Murdoch, Media, and "Glonzo"47:00 NYC Mayoral Race: Mamdani vs. Machine1:03:00 2028 Presidential Race Outlook1:14:00 Final Predictions and Outro