Not A Huge Fan

The hosts are back in the studio and ready to launch into perhaps the show's most disturbing episode ever! We cover it all: was Anthony Fauci incompetent or simply functioning as scientists must? Is this unrest the natural result of years of inequality or fomented by international enemies? And most importantly: who can save the US from its coming nightmare? Also: the problem with Trump, the uselessness of talking and teaching, and what defunding the police actually means.

LA is under curfew and so this week's episode was recorded remotely, with Charles in the studio, Isaac at home in downtown LA, and returning guest Seth Goldsmith calling in from the world's worst Internet connection! Please excuse our audio issues. The show could be about little else this week and the podcast stereotype of three white men talking about the issues is fulfilled! Discussed: the murder of George Floyd, the subsequent national protests and looting, the responsibility of police violence, the impact on small businesses, and the destructive power of the media. Additional coverage: Seth's new character Right Wing Seth, a clip from an ancient and embarrassing NAHF episode from four years ago, and more! Minneapolis porch video: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/light-em-up-video-appears-to-show-law-enforcement-shooting-paint-rounds-at-citizens-on-their-porch/ Trump's absurd Bible photo op: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oRQF68psdY Bernie Sanders group donation link: http://bernie.to/-flo

It's a clash of the personality-defected titans! Isaac recently completed work on an art project (www.CollabGenerator.com) and did not receive supportive words from Charles. Is Charles a spiteful, thoughtless crusher of creativity or is Isaac an oversensitive crybaby? Maybe it's both! Personality disorders are diagnosed and the healing begins! Listeners are encouraged to write in their own diagnoses to notahugefanpodcast@gmail.com Also: Isaac's desire for a 1991 Toyota Camry, Charles is nice to women but not men, and the value of "sandwich stuff." Collab Generator website: https://collabgenerator.com/

Are you an evil corporation thinking of cutting your staff during the coronavirus crisis? Listen in for some tips on how not to totally botch this potentially devastating act! The show takes a look at the recent Bird layoffs, including a very unfortunate Zoom meeting concocted by Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden, as well as a few other poorly-planned downsizings affecting workers. Also discussed: Ray Dalio's book Principles, the importance of joining the capitalist class in order to succeed within capitalism, and most important of all: a new soundboard clip! Bird article:  https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html Layoff articles: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/3/27/21195664/coronavirus-layoffs-furlough-severance https://hbr.org/2020/04/how-to-manage-coronavirus-layoffs-with-compassion?ab=hero-main-text

Coronavirus is ravaging the country and also the media landscape! Your two favorite media critics take a look at some of the annoying trends in coronavirus content. First up: corona finger-wagging! Isaac has been triggered by an irritating Vice article titled "How Not to Be a Coronavirus Jerk," ironically making its author come off like such a jerk himself. Thanks Vice! Then it's on to the LA Times, writing about the 2020 CBS Diversity Showcase and its participants whose Hollywood dreams have been put on hold. Charles thinks the article was written by someone who hates it; Isaac thinks it's a PR piece gone horribly wrong. Also discussed: the emergency room doctor who killed herself, media outlet/erectile dysfunction drug Axios, and more Marianne stanning! Vice article: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkewey/how-not-to-be-a-coronavirus-jerk LA Times article: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-04-13/coronavirus-cbs-diversity-showcase-performers Emergency room doctor suicide: https

Your friendly hosts have been locked up in their houses consuming content, and here is a report! It's time to talk about two extremely popular TV series about big news stories that took place in the 1990s: the Chicago Bulls's final championship run and the siege of the Branch Davidian complex near Waco, Texas. Isaac is the show's resident sports guy and Charles last paid attention to sports when he was in high school. Together they investigate the joys of ESPN's The Last Dance and discuss Michael Jordan's value as an entertainer, the cinematic career of Dennis Rodman, and why Ken Burns is so salty. (Note: this episode only discusses the first four parts of The Last Dance). Then it's time for Waco, the Paramount Network limited series burning up Netflix: how did something so sympathetic to David Koresh get made? Is it one of the best series ever made? And what will the Not a Huge Fan prestige TV show opening credits look like? Also discussed: listener emails, a show Discord server, and why Facebook bans men

We know you've been waiting for it and here it is: a political catch up on the state of the race! What happened during the primary? Why couldn't Bernie win? Why didn't Warren do better? Is Biden fit to be running? Is Joe Rogan correct to vote for Trump over Biden? Your intrepid hosts state their own voting preferences and give their predictions!

You're stuck at home so let your favorite, somewhat inebriated cinéastes provide a list of films and TV shows to screen during your quarantine. Discussed: the shows Devs and Rectify, Atom Egoyan, a variety of hidden gems, total dreck, and the cinema of the late 1950s. Also discussed: Nostalgia glasses, whether comedies ever hold up, and the joys of the establishing scenes of disaster and horror films.

From the Los Angeles Safer at Home Emergency Order: Certain business operations and activities are exempt from the provisions of this Order, on the grounds that they provide services that are recognized to be critical to the health and well-being of the City. These include: ... (e) Newspapers, television news, radio, magazine, PODCAST and journalism.  

The final episode of Not a Huge Fan.

A post-Halloween treat, it's the infamous live episode! Recorded back in June in front of a live audience as a segment of The Podcast Party, Isaac and Charles do a round of fast hot takes along with returning guest Rachel Louie and a special guest. Check out our previous episode "A Podcast About Our Live Podcast" for the background and behind the scenes story.

It's the next-to-last full episode of Not a Huge Fan and Isaac and Charles are spending their time wisely: checking out which public commentators, broadcasters, and personalities are shilling sketchy products to their devoted fans. A spiritual sequel to Awful Podcast Merch. Ben Shapiro, Glenn Beck, Jordan Peterson's daughter, and the Krassensteins are selling gold, food buckets, and $45 coins to bilk more money out of their followers. A promise: Not a Huge Fan will NEVER resort to such tactics. Also discussed: our shocking writeup in the largest newspaper in the Netherlands, why everyone loves hearing the political opinions of children, and the glory of Marianne Williamson on Dave Rubin's show.

Thinking about visiting and sightseeing in Los Angeles? Listen to this episode! LA denizen and comedian Heather Marulli joins Isaac and Charles to look at some of the spots in LA with big but undeserved lines! Just a few examples: Pink's, the Abbey, the Pantry, the Wiltern, and more! Also discussed: LA's lack of landmarks, why people wait in lines, and Heather's witnessing of debauchery on the roof of Musso and Frank's.

No comedy controversy is complete until we have (reluctantly) contributed our takes! Famed comedian Heather Marulli joins the show to discuss the very important Shane Gillis/SNL dustup and what it means for the art of standup. ALSO: the purpose of comedy, what makes something edgy, and why cultural critics hate standup. Hollywood Reporter - "Comedy's Civil War: How an 'SNL' Firing Exposed a Growing Rift in Stand-Up" article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/shane-gillis-snl-firing-comics-mixed-reactions-exposes-growing-rift-stand-up-world-1242739 Slate - "The Seething Stand-Up Underground That Gave Rise to Shane Gillis" article: https://slate.com/culture/2019/09/shane-gillis-snl-conservative-comedy-legion-of-skanks.html

A special treat on a Monday.

Heather Marulli joins Isaac and Charles for a Not a Huge Fan tradition: the reading and mocking of self-aggrandizing social media posts where a death or tragedy is used to redirect attention to the poster. As usual, posts about September 11 never fail to impress. ALSO: Heather's wish to become a Pepto Bismol spokeswoman, Isaac's continuing hatred of celebrity death sadness, and Charles's obsession with the aughts.

Today's episode brings together two of the show's most notorious guests: comedian Heather Marulli (@FixedAirHeather) and writer Delicious Tacos (@Delicious_Tacos) - or rather, his authorized representative as Delicious Tacos is a fictional character. They join Isaac and Charles to discuss the dark world of dating and relationships: which app is the best/worst? Should you pay for Tinder, wear sandals, or travel to Thailand for sex with prostitutes? ALSO: Heather's gay boyfriend, Tacos's book "Finally, Some Good News," and somebody cries! Buy Delicious Tacos's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1790356229

Late night shows covering politics: who enjoys this? This episode aims to find out as we listen to clips from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, and John Oliver. Are any of them enjoyable? Not really! Isaac thinks comedy should be objective; Charles thinks it should be innovative. None of these shows turn out to be either. PLUS: Fallon falls apart, Trevor Noah should host a talk show, and why Twitter is funnier than any of this garbage.

Isaac attended a rally over homelessness at the LA mayor's mansion in Hancock Park organized by Kevin Dalton, who goes by @NextLAMayor on Twitter. Isaac reports back on the events! Charles tells the story of his $300 jaywalking ticket.

The bread and butter of Not a Huge Fan: hot political takes! What are the chief problems of the Democrats? Isaac thinks it's hypocrisy; Charles thinks it's hedging. Is Biden past his time? Has the party passed Bernie by? Will 2020 be like 2004 and 2012 or like 1992? Also: Isaac had a brief Twitter feud with Mike Boudet and Charles makes a claim about podcasts protecting you from controversy that was clearly recorded before the Shane Gillis/SNL drama.