Wed, 27 December 2017
To hear it from some people (like, say...an orange-tinged shitlord with a sulfurous-looking hairdo who's presumable in charge of the Western world), white people have it soooooooooo hard! That a middle-aged (or Baby Boomin') white guy can say with a straight face, "There's no other group who has it worse than Christian white males," says so much about white privilege. And so, Gorilla Shawn thought two white guys talking about white people would make for a good episode...and it did. (Although, some shitty white people might not agree...) * * * We kick it off talking about the first time we noticed the differences between white people and other races or cultures. We discuss what the experience was like, and then we move on to the whitest people we know. To that point, though...is there even such a thing as "being white," either racially or culturally? After that, we discuss if anyone should be proud of being white...and if anyone should be ashamed if they happened to be born white? Find out if we think we see the world in a different manner than someone who's black. (Spoiler: we don't get pulled over when simply driving a decent vehicle.) Shitty white people sure have been more vocal, lately. We devote some time discussing who's to blame for the rise in white supremacy, lately...and then we chat about ways to fix that problem. In popular culture, there are things deemed rather white (like really bad dancing). Find out the "whitest" thing we've ever seen...and learn about the whitest things we've ever done. Finally, we wrap it all up with what the future looks like for white people...
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Thu, 21 December 2017
Christopher and Shawn are both white dudes (if you didn't already know this, it'll definitely become clear next week), but they're somehow not greedy assholes. That's one of many reasons neither of them will be elected to the Senate, because they're just not greedy enough. With the new tax bill that just passed with the explicit aim of funneling still more money to the richest one percent of the country, it seemed like a good time to revisit the episode they did way back when (in 1848, I think) about greed! Sit back and enjoy this episode. It's all yours! *Also the audio quality on this one isn't great. This might-could have been one of our first Skype episodes ever. |
Wed, 13 December 2017
We suppose a party should be held in February, to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the podcast. (Okay, so we really are fine without a party...but you'll see where we're going with this...) [Many] people love parties -- and many others do not. We devote this week's show to where we stand on the whole party thing... * * * First, we go back in time...to the first party we remember attending. (We tell you all about them.) And, also...we tell us about the last parties we've attended! After that, find out if we are party people! Then: whether we're party people (or not)...we chat about the craziest parties we've ever attended. Find out if we even like parties...and what the best party or gathering we've ever attended was -- as well as the worst! We devote some time to birthday party memories...and then talk about if we're good at putting together parties. Find out if parties are even important to us...and why we think parties are important to others. And we wrap it all up with this: if we could throw the best parties ever (on our terms), what would they be like? As always, party it all up in the comments section if that's your kind of thing... |
Thu, 7 December 2017
Christopher was a Dragon! Shawn was a Thunderbird! This episode is METAL AS FUCK! Oh, wait, no it isn’t. Those were their high school mascots. And Shawn’s wasn’t named after the mythical Native American beast, or even the massive car by Ford… nope, it was named after the Air Force Aerobatics team. NERRRRRRDDDDD. Did the Gorillamen dig high school? Were they the kings of the commons, or the nerds no one talked to? Are they still true to their schools? What stupid voices will Shawn do this show? What traumas from Christopher’s young life with they unearth? You’ll have to listen to find out!*
*or have listened in January 2016. Whatever. Dick. |
Tue, 28 November 2017
Greetings and Felicitations, noble pod-people! Yes, I think I carried that off quite well. No way I fucked up that greeting! I am totally passing for one of you hew-mans! Today on the magical internet radiola programme, we're talking about all the times we fucked up! See, there's times when you just don't get it right, and it's kinda your fault. But that's OK! The Gorillamen aren't here to judge, because, as you will learn in this podcast, we're kind of masters of fucking up. We start, of course, with the first time we remember fucking up, before moving to our most recent fuckups. Then we shift gears a little bit to reminisce about the last time each of us was totally effed up on chemicals or booze or the like, and cover any embarrassing things we did while in our fucked-up states! Then we move to the last times our bodies fucked up on us, which is pretty recent for at least one of the Gorillamen. We cover our biggest fuckups, our funniest fuckups, and the worst fuckups to which we've borne witness, all before discussing the role of technology in fucking up and (hopefully) coming up with plans to fuck up less in the future. Got a time when you really fucked up? Share it in the comments! |
Sat, 25 November 2017
Apologies for the late post and no new intro to this week's classic episode. It's been a busy week! And due to certain medical issues, it's the first day in a long while your old pal Shawn hasn't had any caffeine. He is addicted to caffeine. Hmmm.... addiction would make a good episode topic! And if there's one thing about having done 250 episodes or so, it's that you've probably talked about a thing before! So this week, sit back, relax, and enjoy this classic Men in Gorilla Suits episode about addiction. |
Wed, 8 November 2017
This is Gorilla 4-1 transmitting on frequency 1-1-5. I have no idea if this transmission is reaching you in the intended year of 2016, but be warned: the future is an apocalyptic hellscape now. You remember New York in the 70s? Like that, but with slightly more mutation. Oh. Well, shit. My scientists are telling me that the furthest back we can reach is 2017. I really wish they'd mentioned that earlier. Sooooooo... Mmmyep. That first thing I told you? Eh, go ahead and forget that. It was all...well, it was all true, but you can't do shit about it now anyway. They're saying we have like an hour of transmitting time left, so...I dunno. Here's an old episode of Men in Gorilla Suits. Sucks that they both died when the thing happened... I've said too much. End transmission. |
Wed, 1 November 2017
The Gorillamen took long weekends off work, but they did manage to record their first Skype episode in some time. About Cultural appropriation. This is what they talked about:
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Thu, 26 October 2017
Chris and Shawn are FUCKED UP, yo. No, they're not high, or anything. Nothing that would make them seem cool. It's more... well, when Shawn was in middle school, he saw an educational film about conditioning, and this dumb kid kept touching a hot stove burner. Christopher and Shawn are like that stupe, constantly injuring themselves in a vast array of blood and busted limbs. Also they get sick and sometimes it's not their fault. But mainly stupid shit. Enjoy this classic episode! |
Wed, 11 October 2017
Like a department store that puts its Christmas shit out waaaaaay too early, we just couldn’t hold our Halloween episode for the appropriate date (and by we, I mean Shawn). Hey, at least it’s in the correct month!
Travel back to Year One of Men in Gorilla Suits, and listen as we discuss shitty costumes, awesome candy, irrational fear of the month of October, and more! Probably!
BOO! |
Tue, 3 October 2017
It's October and -- somehow -- we've not talked about horror movies in hundreds of episodes. So...we remedy that. * * * It's a busy week in Gorillamenville, so no real commentary -- just what we discuss this episode:
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Thu, 28 September 2017
Layoffs are a way of life in America. It seems that one of the easiest ways to make 4th quarter numbers is to cut a bunch of people at the end of the 3rd quarter. The days of working at a place for 30-40+ years is long gone...today, you're lucky to see five years at a job. Right now, the company where Christopher works is dealing with more cuts...so...it seemed like a good topic for the week! * * * We kick it off with this: who is the first person we remember being laid off from a job? After that, we discuss why we think layoffs have become more common in recent years. There was a time you walked into a job, were willing to work, and retired at that place. That kind of situation is a thing of the past, however. Find out, if it were possible, if we'd work at a job for 30 years like "the good old days?" -- or if we'd be more like mercenaries and jump to better incomes and different job duties? We chat about how layoffs factor into job loyalty...or a lack of it -- and then go into how many times we've been laid off. We also share some funny layoff stories, and then talk about whether we've ever been fired from a job...and how that's different than a layoff. Find out how we prepare for layoffs...and how long we typically work at a job before layoffs come around. We discuss whether or not layoffs are hard on us -- and why we think they are so hard on some people. And we wrap it all up with the future, wondering if we will ever stop laying off so many people...or if this is just the way it is today... Feel free to share your layoff stories in the comments... |
Thu, 28 September 2017
Summer's gone, and that means some lakes will soon be covered in ice. Memories of swimming and boating will have to carry some through to next year. But others have warm oceans that offer underwater dreamscapes year-round -- and it's rare in a place like Texas that a lake will ever ice over, allowing for some forms of water recreation any month of the year. We came from water, so it's no surprise we spend so much time returning to it as well. So, this week, we're talking about water recreation... * * * We kick it all off with memories of our first swimming experiences -- as well as our first memories of being in a boat. Find out if we're big fans of water recreation, or if we like having our feet planted firmly on land. After that, we talk about the last time we did something on, in, or under water -- and things humans do in water that blow us away. The cruise industry is pretty ridiculous, and we devote some time to chatting about if we've ever been on a cruise (or would like to). Find out the dumbest thing we've done in the water -- and the fastest we've ever traveled across it. Do the Gorillamen SCUBA dive (or would they like to learn)? Find that out -- as well as our most memorable experiences on the water. Water freezes in some places...and the Gorillamen have lived in those kinds of places. We chat about things we've done on ice -- and then wrap it all up talking about something we'd like to do on, in, or under water someday... Feel free to share some of your best water memories in the comments section. |
Wed, 27 September 2017
What’s creepier than a clown in a sewer that eats children? How about a middle-aged Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchise Operator who kills children, stashes them in his floorboards, and sometimes *dresses* like a clown? This week, we talk about what Shawn calls Murder Shows, but the rest of the world calls True Crime TV. Marvel at bad impressions, and our heroes treating the most serious of subjects — actual people who were actually murdered — with the same tact and compassion with which they treat everything. So you *know* that’s not gonna go well. |
Wed, 20 September 2017
We come from the water. We change...adapt. We learn new ways of doing things...more times than not, better ways. We adapted so well that we now adapt the things we adapted -- a strange mental and biological origami move that we will never stop...everything folding in and over on itself until new forms emerge. So, with this in mind, this week the upright(ish)-striding Gorillamen talk about adaptations in many various forms... * * * We kick it off talking about the first things we remember adapting to...before moving on to how well we adapt to change (and what's been the hardest things we've had to adapt to in life). Next: people often fume about adaptations of entertainment -- like books to movies. We discuss adaptations better than their original material, our favorite adaptations...and the worst. We also take some time to talk about something we'd love to see adapted from one thing to another. Find out what animal adaptation we'd take...and how well we believe we -- as a species -- have adapted to technology. We get a bit more serious in discussing if we think there will ever be a point at which we will all adapt to changes in climate, hatred, and other things that ail us as a species. Then, we devote a bit of time after that to how well we think humans have adapted to growing as a species...and if we're ready to adapt to life deeper in space. And we wrap it all up in the future, wondering if we're ready for all it holds. |
Wed, 13 September 2017
If Christopher's score this week in Fantasy Football is X, Shawn's score can be equated thusly: (x/2)+5.51 Which is bad. Because Shawn is bad at Fantasy Football, and he should feel bad. But he doesn't. Because it's all just fun and games, right? Right?! The Gorillamen explore these questions and (at least one) more in this week's classic episode! |
Wed, 6 September 2017
Americans love junk food. The world loves junk food! We're sure somewhere on other planets, aliens eat junk food (and love it just as much). The Gorillamen are powered by junk food, so...it's time we discussed everybody's favorite thing! * * * It's a busy week, so here's what we discuss this time around:
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Wed, 30 August 2017
You know, there's something about the smooth lines and refined styling of this vehicle that makes me feel that... well, here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors. It's the only way to live. You know. In cars. This week (or more accurately, many many weeks ago), we talked about cars! I will most likely be having to buy yet another car soon, so... relevant episode is relevant! Enjoy! |
Wed, 23 August 2017
This is episode 225. Some people would celebrate that. Why? Because humans look for things to memorialize or celebrate. We remember the dates we're born, as well as the dates that will live on in infamy. Good, bad, and everything in between -- if humans can connect something deemed important to a date or passage of time, it seems we will do so. And, to that end, we decided to make August 23, 2017 the first annual Men in Gorilla Suits podcast about anniversaries... * * * We kick it all off talking about cake. Seriously. Our first memories of anniversaries coincidentally involve cake. And then we move on to whether or not work anniversaries mean much to us. Also: find out how long the Gorillamen have been with their wives -- and what we usually do for our anniversaries. We chat a bit about if it's important to recognize anniversaries -- and if birthdays are important to us. Some anniversaries are gloomy affairs; we talk a bit about if those kinds of dates are important to remember. But after the gloom, we move on to cheerier things: the strange anniversaries we recognize. Men in Gorilla Suits started on February 7, 2013. Find out if the upcoming 5th anniversary of the show is an important thing to us. Then we jump over to how some dates of remembrance fall from favor...and why some people get uptight about that. To that point, we devote some time to wondering if there is a time we, as a society, will ever forget 9/11...and if even people a generation or two below us are wrong not to care so much. And we close it all out with two things: wondering if there are any anniversaries we think should be celebrated...and what we'd love to celebrate in the future. |
Thu, 17 August 2017
So the opening audio on this week's classic episode sounds shitty, and I'm not changing it. Why? It's the last thing I recorded in the house in which I lived the longest I've ever lived in one place. I bought a place just down the street, but still... feels fitting to record one last MiGS classic intro there. You know what else we recorded there? This episode about subcultures, three years ago! We spend a lot of time talking about The Gathering of the Juggalos in this episode, which is a harmless subculture, especially compared to the ones we've seen this week. So, yeah. Might as well remember the good old days when our biggest problems were figuring out who would win in a fight: Juggalos or Goths? (The answer to that one should be obvious.) |
Wed, 9 August 2017
The American Dream has always been tied very closely to housing. The small house in the suburbs is what we were sold, even though -- for many -- it might be owning an apartment in a large city or off the grid in the middle of nowhere. The dream of owning a home has been exploited, leading to financial crisis -- but it's also been an indicator of financial health when all is well. Entire networks dedicated to house hunting and restoration have popped up on television, and books and magazines (and websites and independent video channels) ensure we can consume our love for real estate any time we want. So it only made sense that we finally talked about buying houses! (Well, that -- and Shawn closed on a house yesterday...and that's been on his mind for more than the last month!) * * * We begin with the first time it hit us that people bought houses. After that, we talk about how old our parents were when they first purchased a house. We also chat about whether or not we've ever set out to purchase a home...and share odd stories about our hunts. We discuss what made us want to buy a house and -- in the case of Christopher -- why he passed on one years ago. Next, we devote some time to what surprised us about the house-hunting/house-buying process...as well as the most annoying aspects of looking for a home. We pause to describe our ideal dream houses -- and then jump to whether or not we think home ownership is on the decline (and if so, if it's the fault of Millennials...because if headlines tell us nothing else, it's that this may be the last podcast you listen to before nuclear war with Korea...and that Millennials kill all the things!) And, as always, we wrap it all up with a look toward the future, this time speculating about what the coming years hold for home ownership. |
Thu, 3 August 2017
Welcome, children. Today we will read from the 47th Psalm of Gorilla. Please open your study bibles to page 3.14159, and have a blessed day. When two guys like Christopher and Shawn talk about religion and don't immediately burst into flames, they've either done something very wrong or very right. As this is one of our most listened-to episodes of all time, we're going to bet on the latter, though that flame-bursting could be around any corner... Enjoy this classic episode! |
Wed, 26 July 2017
On the Men in Gorilla Suits website, we have a behind-the-scenes look at our old process for putting the show together. It's a bit dated -- we now have mixers, different recording gear, and a few other things -- but we've been told it helped some people take that first step and record something of their own... There was a time when seeing how things were made was a mystery, but today documentaries, DVD and streaming movie extras, and myriad websites give people a peek behind the curtains of how things are done. But it's not just entertainment -- humans want to know what governments and others are doing behind the scenes. So...we decided this week's show should be about all those things [and more]... * * * We start in the past, with our first memories of information we were originally not privy to, but eventually saw. After that, we talk about how much we enjoy looking behind the scenes of things...and what we think the appeal of those peeks is. If you've listened to a few episodes, you've probably heard us talk about documentaries. We chat about some of our favorite peeks behind the scenes...going as far as if we've taken tours to get a different look at things. Privacy and secrecy naturally get our attention. We discuss if we've ever been privy to information very few are aware of -- and what we've revealed about ourselves and the processes we follow. We also tackle this: is it better to be open and share information, or protect it and keep things to yourselves? In recent years, highly visible cases of whistleblowers and people leaking government secrets has made the news. Find out how we feel about those sharing behind-the-scenes information with the masses -- as well as how much transparency governments and other large groups should have with your average person. We get back to light-hearted information and chat about something we'd love to see behind the scenes...and we wrap up this week's show talking about if we think we'll see more -- or fewer -- looks behind the scenes of things in the future. |
Wed, 19 July 2017
Oh, hello there. Didn't see you come in. You're looking mighty fine in that polyester lesiure suit. Some might say you're out of date or obsolete, but we would never say that. The Gorillamen invite you to come inside, crack open a Zima, and experience the best -- and the worst -- of things that have gone obsolete in this classic episode. Also, Shawn used to vomit Two Dogs Malt Beverage. In spades. Real talk. |
Wed, 12 July 2017
Hello, friend, and welcome to your place online where we understand what you're feeling. At Men in Gorilla Suits, we consider why you are the person you are -- even if you're an evil super-villain with a swelling brain ready to wreak telekinetic havok on the masses. We're not saying it's right that you want to act out against society because you were never hugged, but some humans who never had a bit of support in life don't know how to be. There, there, Swelling Itching Brain -- come on in for a group hug and all will be right again... This week, we're talking about empathy... * * * We start as we often do, back when we were younger. Find out the first time we felt something for someone else -- as well as if we consider ourselves empathetic individuals. Also: have we gotten more or less empathetic as we've gotten older? After that, we talk about whether or not the world is harder for empathetic people...before moving on to what the opposite of empathy looks like. Has the Internet made us more [or less] empathetic? We talk about that -- as well as how the current political climate has affected empathy. Find out who the most -- and least -- empathetic people we know are. We also cat about the best -- and worst -- examples of empathy in popular culture. And, as we often do, we look to the future at the end of the show...this time, what the future looks like for empathy. If you're feeling this episode, let us know in the comments... |
Tue, 4 July 2017
You really piss me off, Jim. Human life is far to precious to waste on crazy stunts! This week's classic episode is all about things that piss Christopher and Shawn off, but, you know, not that much. We're talking about Pet Peeves this week (OK, we talked about them many weeks in the past, whatever). Enjoy this classic episode from the early days of Men in Gorilla Suits, and we'll be back with a new episode next week! |
Tue, 27 June 2017
There is design to this page. There is design in most things you interacted with today...probably without your recognition. Whether it's advertising or truly functional user experience; the place you live, or even your thoughts...many people put great effort into influencing others with design. Hell, some people do it all simply for the sake of design. This week, we're all about the D! * * * We begin with our earliest memories of people putting in an extra effort into this thing called design. After that, we chat about how aware we were of the effort put into everyday design. (Shawn's epiphany in and Arby's is rather beautiful!) We chat about whether or not we've designed cool things...and what those things might be. How does design affect mood? We talk about that...as well as how environment and upbringing affect design. We get all hypothetical and chat about if we could be a designer of any sort...what we'd make. Then we talk about our favorite designers and what they've done. How important is technology to design -- we chat about that! We also chat about how important design is to advertising. (Spoiler: it DRIVES advertising in every way!) Some people love what they know. Are some designs so sacred that we should never alter them? We talk about that before wrapping it all up with the future of design... These show notes are designed to filter down to driving people to a call to action in the comments. We understand that there's enough going on in our lives that commenting on a podcast blog is a thing of the past, but if you are so inclined...we will listen! |
Fri, 23 June 2017
I know what really keeps you up at night. You're wondering, most of all, what two middle-aged white guys think about hip-hop and rap music. There, there. It's all right. Your brilliant and not unattractive gorillamen are here to help, yo. Christopher and Shawn, the two whitest men on the planet, got together to talk about hip-hop, and now you get to hear it all over again. So pour yourself a gin and juice and enjoy this classic Men in Gorilla Suits Episode. Word to your mother. |
Wed, 14 June 2017
For the past couple years, Gorillaman Shawn has done another show -- a weekly look at metal bands and their influences called Metal DNA. While Christopher doesn't listen to much music these days, he was once rumored to rock out to Twisted Sister opening for Iron Maiden on Maiden's Powerslave tour in the mid-ish 80s. So it's a bit surprising that it took 220 episodes to talk about METAL!!! And, because it must be shared whenever metal is mentioned, there's this: * * * We kick it off with the first metal songs we ever heard...as well as how we heard the tune (i.e. who got us into metal). After that, we talk about the best -- and worst -- genres and eras of metal for us. We devote a bit of time to our all-time favorite metal bands, and then we jump into our fave metal tunes of all time. Metal fans are a dedicated breed of all kinds of people, but there's definitely a stereotype for metalheads. Do they live up to that stereotype? We chat about that before discussing some metal shows we've seen live. (As well as a story about Christopher's one and only sad blind date.) We like talking about time machines on Men in Gorilla Suits. Find out what metal concert we'd see if we could go back in time. And in the present, we talk about the most recent metal we've heard. As [almost] always, we wrap up this episode with a look to the future, discussing what the coming years look like for metal and its fans. Feel free to rock out in the comments if that's your kinda thing \m/ |
Fri, 9 June 2017
In this classic episode, we revisit the far-off land of April 2014, when Shawn was a drone at Microsoft and Christopher was a responsible adult holding down a real job. We get to hear the massive number of jobs the gorillamen have had, revisit their worst jobs, and hear them plug their writing, because that's what they did in the past. Sho' Nuff! |
Mon, 29 May 2017
This classic Men in Gorilla Suits episode is about...Death! Guess what? One day, you will die. Shawn will die; Christopher will die. Everybody dies. It's such a cheery little topic, we decided to talk about death this week! We begin by talking about our earliest memories that life one day ends -- and what caused that realization for us. Then we jump to discussing if we've ever been present when somebody has dies...and how it affected us. Death can come slowly or instantly, and the way it hits people can vary. We dedicate some time to that before moving on to a short question: are you afraid to die? Next, we take on the roll of a psychic and predict the ways we think we will die. Keeping the snowball of happiness rolling, we ask each other if we've ever thought about taking our own lives and...if we could find out when and how we will die, would we want to know? As serious as death is, sometimes the way people die is strange...even funny. We talk about some of the stranger and humorous ways we've heard about people dying and then talk about movies. Death is often the focal point of stories because we've all experienced someone dying. We talk about the best movies deaths we've seen. (We'd love to hear your answers in the comments below.) There are usually rituals after someone's passing. We ask each other if there's a proper way to mourn one's death, and then talk about what we believe happens to us after we die. We close out this week's episode by talking about what we would do differently with our lives if we found out we only had a year to live. As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about death and this episode in the comments. |
Wed, 24 May 2017
It seems one can't go more than a day without seeing somebody react to something out of a backlash reflex. Why, you might even be saying, "I am tired of sweeping generalizations like that!" -- backlash responses are not that common! (Thank you for proving our point.) We all push back for so many reasons...or at least enough to put together an episode of Men in Gorilla Suits about backlash. * * * We begin by talking about our earliest memory of backlash -- and then move on to something we once liked, but no longer do, because of a backlash reaction. We chat about why we think people push back at things over time. After that, we discuss whether or not we've experienced backlash over something we liked or did. How important is backlash to politics -- and even society? We talk about that a bit. We also devote a bit of time to how social media has affected backlash. We also discuss ways in which backlash is dangerous...as well as awesome -- and we talk about something we'd like to see face backlash. Sometimes backlash is just a weird thing...you never know what will set someone off. We chat about that, and then wrap up this week's show with the future of backlash. (In response to us asking you to leave a comment, be sure not to leave one, just because you're tired of being told what to do by people online...) |
Mon, 8 May 2017
Because the last couple episodes have been loaded later in the week, we figured we'd load this one early. Here's why: Sometimes we record episodes and, while making the damn thing, we know it's going to be a bit better than most episodes. Sometimes we're actually funny; other times, we're quick to thoughts and sound like we know what we are doing. Sometimes, we are very open about things -- maybe even too open for some. This episode might be a bit of all those things as we talk about something not unknown to the world: anxiety! * * * We begin with this: have we ever had problems with anxiety? (That anxiety is this week's topic, the answer should be pretty evident.) After that, we talk about the first person we knew who struggled with anxiety. Find out what makes us panic...and if we've ever had all-out panic attacks. Then we talk about how we deal with anxiety. We're guessing we all know somebody who struggles with anxiety to various degrees. We chat about what we do to try to help those people...and then discuss the dumbest things that have caused anxiety in our lives. Lives eventually end. Death is a source of stress for many people. We talk about whether or not we often think about death -- and if it makes us anxious when it's on our minds. Finally, we wrap it up with this: what is the cure for anxiety (or does a cure even exist)? As always, feel free to comment on this week's episode below. |
Sat, 6 May 2017
This Men in Gorilla Suits Classic episode is about aging... As you read this sentence, you're getting older. Now you're even older than when you started reading this entry. You can step away and turn your head, hoping to not be reminded that you are aging, but time marches on. Forward... Always... This week, we're talking about aging!
We begin by talking about the first time we realized that childhood was temporary -- that one day we would become adults. But aging is not all bad...we discuss the first time we were aware of our bodies aging in positive ways. After that, though, we talk about some negative things we're felt or experienced as we've aged. We also talk about age-related problems we've noticed...and age-related problems that scare us. Hundreds of years ago, we'd probably be dead by now. We devote some time to the positive and negative effects of longer lifespans in modern times -- and then talk about how old we want to live to be. We also chat about some benefits of getting older and whether we consider ourselves old, middle aged, young, or something else entirely. We wrap up this episode on the front lawn (chasing off those damn kids!) to discuss whether or not we are, indeed, getting "too old for this shit!" As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about aging in the comments. |
Thu, 27 April 2017
From a young age, most of us heard advice. Maybe some of it was actually good. But there comes a time when, later in life, you've either figured things out or you're simply not going to. And there are enough people doing marginally better than you who love to tell you and others how to live life...because they aren't doing such a great job with the adulting thing themselves. Knocking you makes them feel better about their lives. And then there's us, two guys who offer one bit of advice at the end of every show. We don't expect you to take it, though...as you'll hear, we're not the biggest fans of advice... * * * Christopher is headed into the storms of East Texas for the annual writing retreat he does with a friend. So, in an effort to get the episode out, here's what we discuss this week:
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Fri, 21 April 2017
This Men in Gorilla Suits Classics episode goes back to Episode 55: Urban Legends... * * * The stories often seem too perfect ("...and then the doberman was choking...on the burglar's finger!"); the reassurance it's fact is shoddy at best ("I'm serious -- it's true! It happened to my cousin's best friend's boss' daughter's tuba instructor!") The urban legend. What is it that makes some stories endure for lifetimes, and how does the Internet play a part in their spread today? That's what we're talking about this week. We begin the episode by discussing the most recent urban legend we've heard; in Christopher's case, it was told the night before recording this episode, proving that far-fetched stories are definitely not a thing of the past. In fact, we discuss how we live in the golden age of half-truths and bogus stories; in part, because they are so easy to share through social media. After discussing why we believe urban legends are so easy to spread, we talk about how urban legends can still endure when sites like snopes.com and other sources for answers exist. Urban legends endure despite how ridiculous many of the stories are -- belief is more important than fact where they are concerned. We ask (and answer): "What human need do urban legends serve?" Then we step back in time and share the first urban legends we ever heard. Some urban legends cross the line and become not just stories to share, but deep beliefs people insist are true to the end. Dispute these people's claims or present facts and it doesn't matter -- they are all in and nothing can change them. After devoting some time to that, we discuss a couple urban legends we've believed, if only for a short time. Moving on from there, we share the craziest urban legends we've ever heard. It's clear urban legends are a big part of the human experience. Many tales, even before the age of the Internet, spread and became things people insisted were true all around the world. With Shawn and Christopher both moving about in their youth, they saw it first hand: almost every town seemed to have their own weird killers killing in the same manner as the town where they lived before, and on the outskirts of those towns there always seemed to be railroad tracks where -- if you turned your car off and sat on the tracks as a train came your way (usually at midnight) -- ghostly children who died in a bus crash would push your car to safety. We close out the episode asking each other if urban legends will ever die? We'd love to hear the craziest urban legends you've ever heard -- share away in the comments! |
Fri, 14 April 2017
On February 7, 2013 we decided to do something on our own: start a podcast. In that time, we've started other shows, made things, and learned new stuff. With access to so much information, it's fairly easy to learn the basics of even difficult repairs and builds. Maker culture seems to hang in the air; we, as a species, simply like making and repairing things. Consider the many TV channels dedicated to home improvement. Hell, there's a channel called DIY. DIY is not simply an 80s punk ethic. Every day, so many people make and repair things on their own...or with the help of a community of like-minded people. Doing it yourself is the topic of this week's show. # # # Here's what we talk about this week:
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Wed, 5 April 2017
Oh, hello there, you wonderful, magical being, you. What's that sour face for -- don't believe us? You are magical...and...if you have just $99.99 to spare for our 20-cassette self-help system, you'll realize your full potential! Don't buy it, and continue to be miserable: the choice is yours. Salvation is just a credit card number away... This week, we're all about self help! Now, we should clarify that there's nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself...even pay for help if needed. It's just, if you're going to take that step, it would seem a professional therapist might be a bit better than someone making up a pile of bullshit about how quantum physics works in an effort to sell you on yet another self-help system... We begin the episode by talking about what image comes to our minds when we mention "self help." Then, we discuss whether or not any self-help book or system has ever helped us. After that, we leap into self-help things we've been subjected to in some manner. (It's probably pretty clear at this point that we're not the biggest fans of people preying on desperate people and selling them "help" in Holiday Inns across the country. In fact, Christopher is one degree away from someone fairly well known who "helps" people, but is really just out to take people's money...so we speak from some certain experience.) While on the subject of self help, why not talk about Scientology and other religions that are little more than a pyramid scheme? Are they really out to help people, or is it all about pushing their own agenda? On a smaller level, we ask if there are self-help gurus who actually want to help people more than they want their money. Then we ask if self-help systems have a high percentage of success, or if they are just a scheme to help those running a system make a lot of money. Then it's time to talk about some of the more outrageous claims made in the self-help industry. You could probably call this section of the podcast, "It's no secret how Christopher and Shawn feel about The Secret!" While hammering those who know nothing about science (but use junk science to back their claims), we roll all over certain health gurus who also make ridiculous claims in their grab for cash. But while we don't spare the majority of an industry from ridicule, we do acknowledge the marketing machines behind the self-help industry...and how they have used social media to expand their empires. After discussing how easily people are swayed by "facts" that aren't facts, we ask the biggest question of all: "Is there any value at all in the self-help industry?" We'd love to hear what you think about self help in the comments, and...we hope this episode of Men in Gorilla Suits helps you. If nothing else, we offer it for free! |
Tue, 28 March 2017
A very busy week, so we'll get right to it. This week we are talking about being childless... * * * Here's what we talk about (Shawn made Christopher seriously laugh so hard he cried in this episode):
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Tue, 21 March 2017
We once stepped back in time for this classic episode... And, for those of you wondering, "When will Christopher be done with his damn book?!" it's flowing...but new chapters are happening as well. So...who knows. (But words are piling up!) * * * This isn't a boring history lesson, or an episode chock full o' trivial things like, "Hey, did you all know the first person to kill at the Battle of Hastings -- in 1066 -- was a juggler?" (<----- That's for real, right there! Don't mess with jugglers!) This episode is about our relationships with history. What many deem to be a boring subject really isn't when you consider how much the human mind lives in the past, whether it's a head full of nostalgia or thinking about your place in the universe...that's all history! We begin the episode with a bit of personal history, discussing the first time we remember even thinking about the topic. Also, who (or what) got us interested in history? With that beginning, we move on to our favorite periods of American history and world history. Many "man on the street" interviews make it look like Americans know very little about history...we spend some time discussing if that's true before moving on to what history even is. History takes hold more when it's presented as a story rather than a bunch of dates and events we must commit to memory. We talk about how this affects our perception of history, and then move on to how history is covered: is history really written by the winners, or are there places one can go to find all sides of a story? What are the best sources for understanding history -- and what are the worst? Where do we go when we're in a mood to take in some history? We close it out with the best representation of history -- and the worst -- we've seen in popular media. If you're a history buff, we'd love to hear your thoughts about history...and if you think history is just a boring subject, we just might change your mind... |
Wed, 15 March 2017
If you've lived in Dallas long enough, you see a certain pleasure in this episode about Texas being #214 (the classic Dallas area code). But is Dallas indicative of the Lone Star State, or for a true taste of Texas does one need to gaze upon a field of longhorn cattle? Is Ft. Worth more "Texas" than San Antonio, or must we all bow before the capital of Austin? Or is Texas something else entirely? This week we're talking about Texas in all its glory (well, most of its glory). Like any state, it has its problems -- but a place so large really is like a country unto itself full of many wonderful things... * * * We begin with a simple topic: when did we first move to Texas? We each moved to Texas young enough to have experience with Texas public schools. Find out if we were impressed with the educational quality of the schools we attended. After that, we chat about the various parts of Texas we've lived in...and visited. Keeping with that theme, we also devote time to the best town in Texas in which to live...and the best place to visit. People from other places have their own ideas about what Texas is like. When they visit, it's often up to people living in the state to show them the "true" side of Texas. Find out where we take people to show them what the Bluebonnet State is all about. After that, we talk about the best -- and worst -- things about living in Texas. And we wrap it all up with the weirdest thing about the state. |
Tue, 7 March 2017
Welcome to Men in Gorilla Suits Classic: an old episode as Christopher finishes a book...and while Shawn gets even more buff at the gym. Oh, sure, Shawn might play the humble card and be like, "No big..." but he's lifting closer to 20 tons a night than 15 -- enough that Christopher started lifting puny weights on work breaks today. Speaking of that Christopher guy...thanks to all those who understand that him finishing his book is important. He really hates missing a week of Men in Gorilla Suits. In fact, he ALMOST posted the episode recorded a couple days ago and was then about to email Shawn saying, "If we get back to getting things done by mid-week and even double up on episodes, we can stick to the weekly thing!" Because this IS a pretty impressive unbroken chain. At the very least, you get this old episode... Thanks for understanding... * * * Ah, to live the life as a National Hockey League rover, or to entertain the cigar-rolling masses as a Lector. To pump gas or serve as the director of photography on pornographic movies. To open your own Blockbuster Video store franchise or manufacture cassette tapes. These are jobs...some totally obsolete, some on their way out... This week, it's all about jobs that no longer exist: some long gone, and some we've seen die in our own time. We talk about jobs that are fading, many jobs shoved into one catch-all job, and even discuss why outsourcing may not be the evil many believe it to be. (We might not be in the majority on this one.) We discuss how the "Good ol' days," were only good for some, and why our jobs these days is to simply figure things out. Of course, Shawn works Star Trek into the discussion, and Christopher entertains what a future in which computers write novels might be like. (Smash Gerbils reference goes to Deacon McClendon.) We wrap it up by discussing how the Internet and nostalgia have brought some obsolete or dying jobs back -- kind of a grudging praise for...the Hipster! Also, wanna be a blacksmith? It's still a better option than many jobs that are on the way out! Don't believe us? Then give this episode a listen! Note: This episode was recorded under the influence of copious amounts of caffeine (Shawn) and a couple Martinis (Chris). It's a bit frantic and wacky, and that, dear listeners = fun! |
Wed, 1 March 2017
You wake up in the dark. You don't want to get out of bed. You move in silence to the kitchen to remedy all that ails you with coffee. Ah, the afternoon. The morning's coffee has worn off. Some return to coffee, but many others resort to tea. Tea and coffee are the most popular drinks in the world following water. (And, some will argue, behind milk.) But even before sodas and juices, coffee and tea are kind. Coffee and tea often fuel the Gorillamen, so...we dedicate this week to the beverages of the gods... * * * Before we get to coffee and tea, though, a quick note. After 213 episodes, we're temporarily moving Men in Gorilla Suits to an every-other-week schedule. Christopher is moving his other podcast, Not about Lumberjacks, to an every-other-month schedule as he gets his current novel into readable shape. To allow him a bit more focus, we're adjusting the Men in Gorilla Suits schedule until Christopher is done with the book. And then things will resume as usual. * * * What we discuss this week:
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Wed, 22 February 2017
Men in Gorilla Suits started with an idea: "We should do a weekly podcast." Then we came up with a variety of names...just random things that sounded cool. Shawn liked Christopher's idea to call the show "Men in Gorilla Suits." And that triggered an idea in Shawn: to name every episode beginning with "Last Seen..." as though we are not only Men in Gorilla Suits, but FUGITIVES ON THE RUN in Gorilla Suits. That's it...that's the idea behind it all. Well, that and, "We can just talk about a geeky topic a week..." Of course, that idea could have gone nowhere without effort. But 212 episodes into the show, we're finally talking all about ideas! * * * Here's what we discuss this episode:
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Thu, 16 February 2017
A list of the weird things we talk about this week...as we talk about...weirdness:
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Thu, 9 February 2017
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Thu, 2 February 2017
Busy week this week, but there was still time to turn us into Dumbledore and Snape for the episode art! Here's what we're talking about this week: Fan fiction! * * *
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Thu, 26 January 2017
Christopher might be writing this from Earth-13. But in Earth-27, Shawn is Christopher...but he might be a minotaur in a trenchcoat who starred in Earth-975's version of Highlander. Because really, that's all I (I mean Shawn) has ever aspired to being (and doing). But in Earth-4,285,792, everything happened exactly like this, but Christopher is a black lab hoping you believe that Shawn is a minotaur. The best thing about Earth-4,285,792? Obama is still president...and Abe Vigoda is still alive. (Almost as great as Earth 7,926, where Abe Vigoda is president!) This week, we're talking about other dimensions... * * * We kick it off talking about our understanding of the Mandela Effect, and then jump to discussing if we believe in parallel universes/multiverse theories. Find out how we conceive alternate realities, and find out if we believe we are all moving among different realities all the time. Then we talk about something we can prove is real: stories about alternate realities. (At least in the dimension/reality in which you are listening to this. Unless it's a dimension where you can listen to podcasts from other dimensions. Anyway...) We talk about the best, worst, and silliest works of alternate realities fiction. After that, we chat about what advice we'd hope other versions of ourselves would offer us if we somehow visited other dimensions where other versions of us exist. Then we discuss whether or not we find much credibility in the conspiracy theory that "aliens" are from an alternate dimension (disclaimer: credibility AS COMPARED TO the conspiracy theory where they come from other planets)? We talks about what the best -- and worst -- versions of ourselves might be doing in other dimensions. And we wrap it all up with a discussion about our belief (or disbelief) that science will find a way to not only prove, but view/visit other planes in the multiverse?' In another dimension, you've already left a comment below, but in this reality you have not. Feel free...we do not bite! |
Wed, 18 January 2017
In honor of talking about architecture this week, we share with you the framework this episode was built upon:
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Sun, 8 January 2017
Friday, it even snowed in Texas. (It was enough that many blow-hards who ignored recent days in the low to mid 80s are saying, "Haw haw haw, to much for climate change!") Much of the nation, all the way down to Florida, is in the grip of cold and snow and ice. It seemed like a good time to talk about winter. * * * We kick this week off talking about the first winters we remember, and then leap to where winter ranks for us compared to other seasons. After that, we talk about the worst -- and best -- winters we remember. Sticking to best and worst, we also share our favorite winter memory...as well as a winter horror story. Find out the coldest winter weather we've ever experienced...and what we like most -- and least -- about winter. We discuss how winters have changed for us since childhood before chatting about some of our favorite winter activities...and the winter activities we aren't so fond of. And we wrap it all up with why we love (or hate) winter. You're probably cold and maybe even snowed in; it's a good time to leave a comment below... |
Tue, 3 January 2017
According to many people, 2016 was a dumpster fire. A lengthy election season in the US and a bunch of dead celebrities didn't help matters. Others didn't see it as bad. For our first episode of Men in Gorilla Suits of 2017, we take a look back at the year that was... * * * We begin with how we rang in 2016. From there, we jump right to our best memory of 2016. A lot of celebrities died in 2016. We talk about the celebrity death that hit us hardest -- and then we chat about how we plan to deal with the results of the 2016 election this year...and beyond. We discuss things we discovered in 2016, and then devote some time to our favorite -- and least favorite -- things about the year. We talk about things we brought into our lives in 2016...and some things we shed. After that, we talk about our favorite accomplishments of the year...and chat about some of the trips we took. As nice as it is looking back, we like to end by looking toward the future. We wrap up the episode with our feelings about 2017 holds. How was 2016 for you? Any resolutions or plans for 2017? |