Too Much Information

Jordan and Alex descend into the druggy (and groundbreaking! but also druggy) world of 'There’s A Riot Goin’ On,' a monumental testament to the power of individual creative drive (and also drugs).  After literally conquering 1969 with the hat trick of Woodstock, the Harlem soul concerts, and [insert the third one here], Sly Stone and his Family (non-Manson edition) decamped from San Francisco to LA and began the dual processes of making an iconic album and dissolving into mess of ego, paranoia, and—we can’t stress this enough—drugs.  THRILL to the story of how Sly went from a preternaturally talented kid from Texas into the polymath musician who assembled the only band to actually exemplify the progressive ideals of The Sixties! CHILL to Alex’s unasked-for WOKE CORNER on how San Francisco hasn’t been super-cool to Black people! SPILL… like, tears? Kinda sucks about Sly. Jordan keeps bringing up Brian Wilson. It’s Too Much Information: Sixties Black Guy Being Overshadowed by Sixties White Guy Edition! Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex and Jordan turn their eyes to the pioneering First Family of reality TV. You’ll learn the truth behind the famous flying ham incident, discover all the ways the Osbournes tried to dodge the camera crew when they didn’t want to be filmed, and find out whether it’s medically possible for Ozzy to snort a line of ants. They’ll also explore the family feud with the sister who didn’t want to end up on camera and unpack the drama between Kelly and Christina Aguilera —who later bought the Osbourne family home and turned her old bedroom into a shoe closet. Jordan also shares his weirdly plausible theory of how Jay Leno could have fronted Black Sabbath….(really). (Recorded in 2022.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your two alien-slaying trivia nerds are back, and this time they’re firing up the VHS and saluting Independence Day — the film that blew up the White House, made Will Smith the King of July 4th, and gave us the only speech that rivals St. Crispin’s and “Four score.” The TMI guys explain how the movie was born at a press conference, written in a hotel room, and sold in 48 hours — all with the intent of crushing Tim Burton. You’ll learn why the Pentagon pulled support (spoiler: Area 51 drama), how Goldblum improvised his way through the movie and the cigar smoke, and why Randy Quaid nearly saved the world in a crop duster. Also covered: mass UFO panic in Orange County, Lebanese censorship courtesy of Hezbollah, and the moment Bill Clinton watched the White House explode from inside the White House. It’s a tale of German visionaries, binary code, K-Y jelly, patriotic pee scenes, and a sci-fi B-movie that accidentally rewrote the playbook for modern blockbusters. Today, we celebrate… Too Much Information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dive into the delicious history of Oreos, a cookie born from a family feud! Discover the physics behind the perfect dunk and the psychology of twisting the classic treat. Uncover the mysteries of its name and the fun theories behind its design. With over 50 varieties, there's plenty of flavor exploration, and even some bizarre hazing rituals. This tasty tale blends nostalgia and humor, revealing the cultural significance and evolution of America’s favorite cookie!

Your two men on the internet telling you useless information supposed to fire your imagination are back with their 60th anniversary deep-dive into this deathless rock anthem. After a heated Beatles vs Stones debate, the TMI guys explain how the classic riff came to Keith Richards in a dream — and run down a list of other great art that came to people while they slept. They’ll explain the song’s unexpected connection to unexplained Scientology deaths, and the role it played in inadvertently breaking up the Beatles. You’ll also learn how the success of “Satisfaction” lead to a schism within the Stones themselves, which ultimately lead to the death of their founder and long-time leader, Brian Jones. Heigl delivers a stunning history of guitar distortion while Jordan explains how the Beatles delighted in trolling their friendly rivals. It’s a story of ego, electricity, obsession, and the song that turned the Rolling Stones into the most dangerous band in the world. For those interested in learning more about The Rolling Stones, here’s the podcast Jordan worked on about the sessions for ‘Exile on Main Street’ and their groundbreaking American tour in the summer of 1972: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stones-touring-party/id1698938627 Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dive into the fascinating history of the bikini, from its ancient origins to today's solar-powered designs that charge your phone! Discover how the atom bomb influenced its introduction in 1946 and the fierce competition between two Frenchmen for the tiniest version. Reflect on iconic bikini moments in pop culture, from classic James Bond scenes to Sisqo's memorable 'Thong Song.' Explore the evolution of swimwear through societal changes and the ongoing controversies that surround this cultural icon.

Put on your latex head-cap and grab your Thermian translator — this week, your starfleet of snark is diving headfirst into the unlikely sci-fi cult classic that beamed itself into nerd hearts everywhere. Jordan and Heigl travel back to 1999 to explore how a fake show about fake space heroes somehow made real Trekkies weep with joy — and earned an honorary place alongside the actual Star Trek movies. You'll hear how Leonard Nimoy accidentally inspired the original script, why Kevin Kline (not Buzz Lightyear) was supposed to lead the crew, and how Alan Rickman — literal Shakespearean royalty — somehow found himself next to a farting Tim Allen...and hated every second of it. (So did everyone on the set.) Heigl delves deep into Allen’s pre-fame life as a coke mule with a prison stint under his belt, Jordan talks about psychologic effects of space travel and Orson Welles’ touching friendship with Winston Churchill (for some reason), and they both luxuriate in the decades-long feuds between Star Trek cast members. The pair go on to discuss the worst-dubbed F-bomb in cinematic history, why comedy legend Harold Ramis prematurely departed the project, and all the reasons why the producers were terrified they were going to get sued.  You’ll also discover how the film’s parody became prophecy, predicting not just the rise of fandom, but the emotional power of obsessive nerdery years before Comic-Con went corporate. So whether you’re a diehard fan or just here for the fart jokes, this one’s for you. By Grabthar’s Hammer — it’s podcast time! Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get ready for Gatsby 2: Gatz Harder! In the second installment of their deep dive into The Great Gatsby, the TMI guys follow the novel’s improbable rise from critical failure to cultural cornerstone. When it was first published in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece was dismissed as a “literary lemon meringue” and sold fewer than 25,000 copies in his lifetime. He died thinking he'd been forgotten, but within a decade, the book was rediscovered — by soldiers, scholars, and eventually Hollywood. Jordan and Heigl unpack its long, often cursed journey to the screen, including the disastrous silent version that Fitzgerald and Zelda walked out of, and a 1949 remake plagued by moral censors and a suicidal director. But nothing beats the real-life drama of the 1974 adaptation, which was nearly derailed by a real-life love triangle: producer Robert Evans commissioned the film for his wife, Love Story star Ali MacGraw — only for her to leave him for co-star Steve McQueen before filming began. She was replaced by Mia Farrow, while a distracted Robert Redford spent much of the shoot glued to Watergate coverage. Jordan and Alex also look at Baz Luhrmann’s glittery 2013 remake, complete with 100,000 liters of fake rain, Jay-Z’s much-maligned soundtrack, and Tobey Maguire being weird. It’s a tale of art, obsession, reinvention — and a few of Heigl's rants.  Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Put on your pink suit and gas up the yellow car — in this episode, we’re partying like it’s 1925 as your beloved bootleggers of banality uncover the secret history behind The Great Gatsby, which turns 100 this year. In the first installment of their two-part Jazz Age jamboree, Jordan and Heigl trace the tangled roots of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s American fever dream: the heartbreaks, hangovers, high society snubs, and haunted summer nights that inspired Gatsby’s green-light longing. You’ll discover the excruciating real-life heartbreak that yielded Daisy, meet the mysterious New York bootlegger who planted the seeds for Gatsby, and learn all about the unsolved double-homicide that sparked the violent ending. You’ll also hear how Scott’s messy personal life blurred into his most famous novel. From the prep school poetry to the Princeton parties, to literary rivalries and even his rumored affair with Hemingway, they'll explore how a poor Midwestern boy wrote the book that defined a generation — and maybe doomed himself in the process. It’s a story of love, lies, reinvention, and ruin. Although you can’t repeat the past, these guys can podcast about it. Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Heigl dive into this beloved ‘80s adventure classic — and you don’t have to do the Truffle Shuffle to listen! They’ll tell you all about Spielberg’s secret role as unofficial co-director, the authentic blood and skulls used for props, and the real-life shipwreck that inspired the legend of One-Eyed Willy — plus Sloth’s nightmarish makeup prosthetics that nearly electrocuted him. They’ll also explain the crazy connections between The Goonies, Gremlins and Back to the Future, the onset feud between Corey Feldman and Martha Plimpton, the prank war between the Fratelli brothers, the time Michael Jackson visited the set (it got weird), and the lost subplot involving escaped gorillas. You’ll also learn how a bout of chickenpox almost cheated us out of Jeff Cohen’s hilarious performance as Chunk, how the production crew built — and destroyed — a full-sized pirate ship, and how Alice Cooper crashed the epic cast party. (Taped in 2022)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.