Episodes

In this episode, the boys follow a trail of words that turns out to be a lot stranger than expected. Why does bankruptcy involve a broken bench? Why is malaria named after "bad air"? What does a medieval orphanage have to do with the surnames Esposito and Innocente? And how did the word "nephew" accidentally give us "nepotism"? Along the way, we'll visit Siena's claim to Rome's founding myth, step outside the cathedral to discover the original meaning of "profane," and uncover the forgotten stor...

Did you know that smells, besides being the strongest door to memories, can be trademarked? As can sounds? Jon and Kurt discuss examples of these as well as smoking tigers, irony, Pocahontas, and the story behind the marathon being 26.2 miles.

Jon and Kurt go all Magellan on you this episode and discuss geographic oddities sure to blow your mind. That, and somehow Wilt Chamberlain and poutine make appearances. Oh, and Blue Swede sang “Hooked on a Feeling” not “Ride Captain Ride.” That was Blues Image. Kurt apologizes.

Jon and Kurt are back with a new episode that explains the origins of “mayday”, delves into men’s new need to keep up a “hot style,” what it means to age, and well just some other drivel that attempts to lay in some smart.

Jon and Kurt decided to capitalize on the fact that they recorded this episode in April and put out a topical discussion about pranks. They found historical jokes centuries old that fooled many middle agers (not someone in their 50s, but someone who lived centuries ago) and some that got the masses hook line and sinker in the 20th century. And lots in between. Give a listen and get inspired for the next April Fools Day. Maybe you will find one worth repeating (but we advise against trotting out ...

What do Gatorade, cows with accents, rude dry cleaners, and the moon all have in common? Well, if you like your drivel kinda smart, you’ll see how they all come together in the latest episode of Learn, Rant, Laugh: A Smart Drivel podcast.

In this episode, the boys learn how The New York Times reinvented itself, get their minds blown by The Birthday Paradox, rant a little as befits their curmudgeonly state, and–oh yeah–end on a fascinating, intellectual discussion of at-home prostate exams. We’d say “dive in” but maybe that’s a little too much.

Learning, Ranting, and Laughing, our idiosyncratic hosts are back for another episode in season two of Smart Drivel. They discuss gender perspective, a time without a U.S. President, bad acoustics, the phenomenon of grade inflation for email/text responses, and, of course, the post-series, made for TV, Gilligan’s Island movies. Hop in, the water is nice.

The boys are back for the third episode in Season 2 of Learn, Rant, Laugh–A Smart Drivel Podcast. In this episode we learn how the term “Pan Am Smile” made it into the mainstream, how a horse named Fauvel would have sycophants groom him. These discussions then morph into some ranting about etiquette…or lack thereof. It is a classic Smart Drivel discussion. Grab a currying brush and dive in.

Join Jon and Kurt as they excitedly discuss what they learned, what ticked them off, and what made them laugh since the last episode. This time they get into phone etiquette, cockiness vs. arrogance, the beauty of finishing third, and a whole host of other topics.

After 302 episodes, Smart Drivel is back with Season 2 – and a new structure. Jon and Kurt are still two allegedly grown‑up, definitely 60‑year‑old guys trying to make sense of the little things that grab our attention. What’s new? Every episode now runs in three quick, repeatable segments: Learn. Rant. Laugh. What did we learn since last time? What do we need to rant about? What’s something funny we stumbled into? Same Jon and Kurt, same lighthearted, glib Smart Drivel energy – now in a tighter...

The one that started it all! The very first Smart Drivel of all time. Jon and Kurt explore the world of Pie and of Pi. From ancient savory pies to American Pie by Don McClean to the invention of the Frisbee and Archimedes, they dig into pies and pi of all nature.

To celebrate the holidays and the start of a new “century” of episodes, Jon and Kurt are giving each other gifts. These gifts–meant to be shared via verbal transmission in bars, meetings, and gatherings of all sorts–are interesting tidbits of language, history, legend, and social customs. Little known facts and stories. The co-hosts share these with one another and, ergo, are packaged up for you to astound and amaze your friends and enemies alike.

Three hundred episodes. Almost nine thousand minutes. One hundred and fifty hours. That is a buttload (an actual unit of measurement – little call back there) of drivel that has been spewed forth by Jon and Kurt over the past six years. The boys invite you to join in on the celebration of obscurity and meandering esoterica as they challenge each other to give the numerical answer to many questions regarding pop culture, history, literature, song, sports, myth, etc. It’s a party and you all are i...

There is a narrative device which, when implemented, can add punch, power, and percolation to any sentence, essay, speech, play, poem. This device is called “diacope” and it is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is repeated, with one or more words in between the repetitions. It is used for emphasis, to create a memorable rhythm, and to heighten the emotional impact of a statement. For real, you tell me this, for real? (I see, what you did there, I see.) Join join and Kurt as they explore ...

Ah, siblings. No one better to complain about Mom and Dad, but no one who annoys you more. A brother or a sister can get under your skin more than anyone as they know exactly what buttons to push. Sometimes, it goes too far resulting in decades long feuds or, as in the case of the very first siblings, murder. Join Jon and Kurt as they look at famous sibling rivalries in history, pop culture, and fiction. You might want to listen and marinate on your own sibling relationships before that awkward ...

Ever stop to think about two words that we usually interchangeably use to mean the same thing? Well, most of the time, there is a clear difference and distinction between the two words and we were given two of them because they mean different things. Jon decides to test Kurt throughout the episode with multiple examples. Take a listen, see how he did and compare it to your score. Then ask yourself, am I right or am I correct?

If tonight was your last night on earth, what would you choose for your final meal? Jon and Kurt look into famous last meals from historical figures, serial killers, and celebrities. What does it say about you or what do you want to send as a message? Or, do you just want to make sure you get that last chance to savor an epicurean delight? Grab your appetite and take a listen.

Anapodoton is a rhetorical device where the main clause of a sentence is omitted, and its meaning is implied by a subordinate clause that is provided, most commonly in well-known proverbs or phrases. The implied information is easily understood and mentally supplied by the listener or reader, such as saying "When in Rome..." and expecting the listener to complete the phrase with "do as the Romans do". “If the shoe fits...” “If you can’t beat ‘em...”, etc. The listener understands the complete th...

Jon and Kurt decide to scratch their history itch by having a conversation about some of the world’s greatest unsolved history mysteries. Of course, this being Jon and Kurt, they meander a bit off topic, but do manage to come back each time to probe and theorize what the hell happened.

Money. We love it. We hate it. We crave it. We spend it. Money, in all its forms, has been an integral part of all societies. Whether it was huge stones, salt, emu feathers, or trillion dollar bills, it has always had dominion over civilization. In this episode, Jon and Kurt look into the history, the absurdity, the logic, and the just plain funny of money throughout time.

It all started with a simple question: why are manhole covers round? And then it grew from there…why are eggs always sold in a dozen? Why do pigeons bob their heads when they walk? Why do round pizzas come in a square box? And an episode was born. Come listen to Jon and Kurt ask each other these enigmatic questions and have some fun along the way.

Jon and Kurt decide to look at famous hats throughout history and fiction. That’s right. Hats. What started as a random thought turned into a fertile patch of fun, interesting, and previously unknown stories about hats in legend, historical fact, pop culture, and literature. Slip off your chapeaux and take a listen.

No matter how smart or talented you think your kids are, there are those among us who are just special. Amazing. Mind blowing. These are the child prodigies. The ones in history who are so talented they were doing incredible things at such a young age. Like Mozart. Like the kid who was giving public lectures at 4. Like Joan of Arc who led the French army as a teenager. These kind of special child prodigies. Jon and Kurt take a look at some of the known and lost to history child prodigies who did...