Too Much Information

Jordan and Alex celebrate the Patron Saint of PBS, the Buddha of the brush, the Confucius of the canvas: Mr. Bob freakin’ Ross! They’ll get into the origins of his famous perm (and why he grew to hate it), the time he raised a baby alligator in the family bathtub, and the neurological reasons why his show is guarenteed to bliss you out — plus a deep dive into the ASMR phenomenon. But Bob wasn’t always the King of Chill. You’ll hear about his rough and ready days as a loudmouthed sergeant in the Air Force, his brutal rivalry with his painting mentor, his bizarre connection to the CIA, the mysterious reason you can’t actually buy one of his paintings, and the vicious legal battle that continued in the wake of his death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex and Jordan get emotional over appliances as they explore the movie that laid the groundwork for the Toy Story franchise and sparked a debate about the nature of consumer AI products. You'll hear about the eccentric misunderstood sci-fi genius who wrote the book on which the film was based, the Disney-related drama that kept it from reaching a wider audience, the insane lengths the creators went to in order to figure out the personality and psychology of a vacuum cleaner,  and the adorable friendship between castmates Phil Hartman and Jon Lovitz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex talk about the breakups, the beefs, and even the bindis at the heart of No Doubt’s breakthrough record. In a sense, it's the '90s equivalent of Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' — not just because of the glut of radio hits like "Just a Girl,” “Spiderwebs,” and, of course, “Don’t Speak,” but also because of the DRAMA. There's inter-band romances, bitter jealousy, teenage tragedy, family squabbles, and…ska! You’ll hear about Gwen Stefani’s phone stalker, the mystery of the missing cover photo dress, the band’s weird-but-deep connection with 'The Simpsons,' and how a stomach bug inspired a standout album cut — plus, be prepared to learn about Walt Disney’s cryogenically frozen head!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex dive into the kinder, gentler 1990s outer space movie, which turned 25 in July. They take a look at the romance and creative partnership between Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan that birthed the narrative -- along with detours into Sagan's favorite sci-fi authors and a number of adorable anecdotes about the pair's love story -- and the torturous time the project spent kicking around Hollywood development hell. Gasp at the astonishing number of screenwriters and directors the film went through; thrill at Jodie Foster behind-the-scene stories; ponder at why Matthew McConaughey wanted to play his character with an enormous lumberjack beard! All together now: They should have sent a poet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex dive into this beloved '90s hit, which was recently resurrected at President Biden's inauguration ceremony. They'll explore the colorful story of Gregg Alexander, the reclusive pop genius who retreated from music stardom as soon as the song broke around the world, yet continued to pen chart-toppers under pseudonyms. They'll also get into the beef between Alexander and Marilyn Manson as a result of this song, and why it's earned praise from the likes of Bono, Joni Mitchell and Ice-T, and how they ripped apart a mall food court for the song's iconic music video. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cowabunga, dudes! Alex and Jordan explore the rise of everyone's favorite pizza-loving, butt-kicking reptile, tracing their development from underground comic to the TV that launched a million action figures, record-breaking film and a truly bizarre musical. They'll talk about the killer costumes for the movies that caused the actors to lose 10 pounds in sweat, how the success of the show inadvertently led to an ecological crisis in the United Kingdom. — plus the surprising influence of Jim Henson, Marvel, 'Two and a Half Men' creator Chuck Lorre, and watermelon-smashing comedian Gallagher. You'll also learn about the turtle's wet 'n' wild appearance on Barbara Walters, the origin of their famous "Cowabunga" catch-phrase, and how TMNT superfan Robin Williams helped actress Judith Hoag prepare for her role as April.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex welcome their first guest to the show — Vanity Fair editor Maggie Coughlan! Together they explore the agony and the ecstasy of grown men getting hit in the crotch by bulls, launched into orbit in Porta-Potties, snorting wasabi up their nose, and locking themselves in limos with bees. They’ll also discuss the collective medical bills of the 'Jackass' cast, the numerous childhood traumas that led them to pursue this peculiar profession, plus their many run-ins with both the law and with network censors. But it’s not all gross-out gags and hospital stays! You’ll hear about Johnny Knoxville’s touching friendship with Hunter S. Thompson and Jessica Simpson, and Brad Pitt’s adorable desire to be an honorary member of the Jackass crew. (Errr, listener discretion advised...) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this emergency episode of TMI, Jordan and Alex mourn the loss of this iconic frozen treat. In addition to providing a (brief) history of ice cream, Popsicles and the ice cream truck, they’ll explain how the Mexican food craze in the ‘80s lead to the creation of the Choco Taco, how it spread across the globe, and how it influenced ice cream products for years to come. They’ll also delve into an anonymous government employee’s crusade against the novelty dessert, why it’s being discontinued (Was it really the so-called Woke Mob?) and how Dippin’ Dots might point the way towards a Choco Taco rebirth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex and Jordan set their sights on GNR’s chart-busting metal opus, which turns 35 years old this month. Get ready for tons of sex (occasionally in the studio), drugs (pretty much everywhere) and rock ’n’ roll on the gritty Sunset Strip of the ‘80s. They’ll discuss the band’s rough pre-fame days sleeping in parking lots and splitting cheeseburgers five ways, and explore the ludicrous decadence of their peak, during which they ripped the toilets out of the home of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille, smashed guitars through the window of rental vans and pushed their bodies to (and sometimes past) the brink of death. They’ll also delve into the (alleged) reason behind the classic lineup’s disintegration, the story behind Slash’s iconic top hat (and his early ties to Bowie), and why “Sweet Child of Mine” almost didn’t get recorded. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex discuss the film that USA Today described as “‘Independence Day’ for smart people.” They’ll get into the finer points of (alleged) real life aliens, as well as Will Smith’s truly horrific farts, why Tommy Lee Jones was grumpy for the whole shoot, and how the movie helped pave the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, they’ll touch on Vincent D’Onofrio’s insane makeup job, and the time he drank enough sugar water to seriously risk death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.