Wake up, everyone it’s our favorite time of year: endorsement season! As the election draws closer and closer (we don’t know whether to be scared or relieved), celebrities are coming out of their rich people bubbles to announce their political endorsements to the world and, more importantly, their fan base. From ultra-famous celebrities like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, to a bunch of people you had to google making a fool of themselves for Donald Trump, this year’s election was a who’s who of...
Oct 24, 2024•54 min•Ep. 52
Ope! Watch out there buddy it’s the Midwest episode. That’s right, we’re giving you guys the lowdown on midwestern culture with of course plenty of fights along the way. Grab a bowl of cheese curds and crack open a Hamms because this week Paul and Erica give a lesson on why the Midwest is simply the best. We’re discussing our favorite and least favorite things about America’s Heartland and teaching Kirk the difference between the Midwest and the middle east. Whether you’re loyal to where you liv...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 51
Depending on what time you’re reading this you might be craving chicken minis from Chick-fil-A or maybe your insane like Paul and you’re craving the “wonderful“ bacon at Dunkin’ Donuts or maybe you’re already craving Popeye chicken because it’s “the best fast food chicken“ whatever it mights be, at this point, you’re already hungry so what do you want you want? That’s right Fast Food – and that’s exactly what we’re talking about today. Maggie gets bullied for her rather controversial opinions, E...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 50
The Hellscape Carousel crew loves to stay up-to-date on trends (if you don’t count Andrew) and this week we’re talking the hottest trend of the summer Ozempic! In this week’s episode we try to get to the bottom of why everyone is obsessed with talking about Ozempic yet no one seems to be able to get their hands on it. What’s causing everyone to jump on the Ozempic Express and why are people freaking out about it? You know we can’t discuss Ozempic without discussing the culture that created it!! ...
Aug 08, 2024•55 min•Ep. 49
RIP to Freud, he would’ve loved this week’s episode. We’re talking the strange and sometimes uncomfortable relationship between boy moms and their sons. Is it ironic that no one on this episode is a son who is deeply loved by their mother? Yes. Has a lack of expertise ever stopped us before No. From completely disregarding the existence of their daughters, to calling their sons the loves of their lives in front of the men they literally signed up to marry, we’re discussing all the ways toxic boy...
Aug 01, 2024•53 min•Ep. 48
It was another eventful week in American politics and we're back to talk about the highlights. This one is a little shorter and messier than usual because in true Brat fashion Joe Biden waited until Sunday to announce he's had enough. And frankly, so have we! Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Andrew (@andrwjn), and Kirk (@kirk.charles) Produced by Maggie (@maggiirosee)
Jul 25, 2024•53 min•Ep. 47
The gunshot heard around… Trump’s ear, and the globe. What does this mean for us? The Carousel crew takes on Trump’s assassination attempt: Kirk was in the shower when the shots were fired, but where was our resident straight white Pennsylvania man, Andrew? The Democrats in and out of office sent their condolences, but would Trump have done the same? Must we always go high, when the bullets go low? What does this mean for the election? Will it have an impact? Or will people forget about it come ...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 46
Up until about two weeks ago you probably hadn't heard of Project 2025. We certainly hadn't. Now everyone is talking about it. So, what is it? Project 2025 is the conservative establishment's plan to give Trump and his administration unlimited power to dismantle the federal government as it is today and completely replace it with a Christian Nationalist theocracy. This week we talk about where Project 2025 came from, what its goals are, what it means for Trump and, more importantly, the future o...
Jul 11, 2024•57 min•Ep. 45
The debate on Thursday night was so bad that we’re releasing a special episode just to cover it. Paul Warren is back with Erica, Andrew, and Kirk to help us process the aftermath of the 2024 Presidential Debate. Biden whispered nonsense. Trump egregiously lied. —and progressive politics weren’t left out of the conversation entirely. We’ll go topic by topic to highlight some of the best (worst?) moments of the debate. Plus, we offer our thoughts on the “will Biden drop out and who will replace hi...
Jul 01, 2024•2 hr•Ep. 44
For our second Headline Hellscape episode we had to go with some serious shit and well some actual literal shit. That's right we're going to pick apart and discuss Trump's conviction (serious shit), Trump's takeover of the Republican National Committee (serious shit), and the upcoming Olympic games in filthy, filthy Paris but more specifically the Seine River (literal shit). So tune in for all the crazy, shocking, and gross – we might even make this a regular thing! Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 43
What’s Pride Month without your favorite brand changing their avatars to a rainbow version of their logo? What’s a Pride Parade without corporations putting their names in big, bold rainbow balloons? Well, we are here to dive deep into the corporate side of Pride Month! We talk all things corporate pride, why brands are starting to get a little more cautious when it comes to engaging with the community, and play a game of Pride Brand Campaigns gone wrong! Come along this journey with your favori...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 42
Welcome to our first of two annual Pride Month episodes. Everyone knows about Stonewall which was a watershed moment in both the gay rights movement and civil rights more broadly. And if you don’t, you should! Since the Stonewall Inn protest is well-trod ground, we will be discussing two protests that came before it: The Annual Reminder in Philadelphia and the Compton’s Cafeteria riot in San Francisco. Each protest is unique. The Annual Reminder was a carefully planned series of pickets that hel...
Jun 13, 2024•56 min•Ep. 41
Let’s circle back on that. Let’s put a pin in it. That’s above my pay grade. It’s important we move the needle. What do these phrases all have in common? Well they are corporate America’s way for fuck you” - so that’s exactly what we’re going to do. That’s right, today we’re diving into corporate America - something you may be surprised to learn we all 6 are a part of. No, we are not full time podcasters but instead corporate political cogs on the hellscape corporate America chain. Bad bosses - ...
Jun 06, 2024•58 min•Ep. 40
In this week’s episode we’re discussing cities, suburbs and wherever they farmed Andrew! We’re getting into the best and worst parts of city living, the history of suburban development, and all the reasons we love and hate where we live. Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Kirk (@kirk.charles), Andrew (@andrwjn), and Paul (@kink_shaming_is_my_kink) Produced by Maggie (@maggiirosee)
May 30, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 39
It’s been a while. We recorded our first live episode, and then took a break. Brilliant. Well, Maggie traveled to Copenhagen, Paul took his twink to a wedding, Andrew said goodbye to our pod pet, Erica moved to Chicago and Kirk went to her going away party and her friends were shocked he wasn’t 6’3. Catch up with us as we tackle all of the Hellscape hot topics we missed while we were away. And if you’re a fan of Erica, then listen because she’s definitely on this episode. Hosted by Kirk (@kirk.c...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 38
We are taking a short break from recording this week so we're re-running a classic Let's Unpack That episode. This episode is all about the QAnon movement: what it was, how it came to be, and the influence it has had on American culture and politics. Plus, Paul and Andrew discuss internet message boards and how conspiracy theories get traction in the mainstream media. While we no longer hear about QAnon constantly like we did three years ago this topic is still relevant. Many aspects of the cons...
Apr 11, 2024•1 hr 39 min
In a first for this podcast we successfully recorded an episode in-person together! For such a momentous occasion we had to go to our roots and talk about the things that bother us, piss us off, or that we love about this country we call home. Men, condiments, music, tipping – all is fair game. These are our American Hellscapes. Special thanks to Philly Podcast Space (IG: @phillypodcastspace) for hosting us. Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Kirk (@kirk.charles), Andrew (@andrwjn), and Paul (@twin...
Apr 04, 2024•2 hr•Ep. 37
It’s COVID-19. Miss Rona, if you’re nasty! Consider this an episode for the time capsule. Because four years after this virus began its warpath, we’re talking all things COVID Cringe. Do you remember Gal Gadot’s celebrity montage of “Imagine?” What about Donald Trump’s suggestion that we inject disinfectant? Or maybe you’re still unable to forgive your Great Aunt Mary for all those Zoom calls. We’re cover the gamut and recapping the hellscape of COVID, 2020, and the events that make us wince to ...
Mar 28, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 63
Unless you live under a rock, or you’re Andrew, you’ve probably seen the recent news - Kate Middleton is missing. While normally a missing person is troubling news the Middleton conundrum is actually just another tally in the British Royal Family’s LONG line of craziness, media-spotting, conspiracy theorist, attention-seeking life that we are plagued with - even living thousands of miles away. For this episode we asked ourselves, what better time to get into the hellscape of this relic and contr...
Mar 21, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 35
In this era of dating woes, where swiping left seems easier than finding common ground, our latest episode dives headfirst into the chaos of romance amidst political polarization. With men veering right and women swerving left, courtesy of a chaotic political landscape and scrotus, the dynamics of dating have never been worse. So we have to tackle the burning questions: Would you swipe right on a Trump-er? Could you overlook political differences for love? And let's not forget the real dealbreak...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 34
When is a hole more than a hole? On their birthday! Today we celebrate – or barely tolerate – the smallest yet loudest member of the podcast: Kirk! First, Paul drops in for the intro. Then we air out or grievances with Kirk before saying a few nice things about him for once. Nothing says "we love you" quite like yet another reminder you are functionally illiterate. Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Kirk (@kirk.charles), Andrew (@andrwjn) With a brief appearance by Paul (@extremely_divorced) Produc...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 62
We all had that one kid in our class that was born on Leap Day and had to tell everyone they were 3 years old when they were actually 12. Well, today we talk about why Leap Day isn’t real, along with time. Oh, and how 2024 is a complete redo of 2020, so have we even left 2020? You know, some reallll simple stuff. If you’ve ever sat and contemplated if time was a social construct, this one’s for you. By the way - we told Kirk he could have the leap day episode because technically, does it even ex...
Feb 29, 2024•57 min•Ep. 32
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, Hair, Hair, Hair. In this episode, Paul returns to host a discussion on body hair, shaving & grooming, and preferred body hair in romantic partners. We’ll talk about our biggest body hair icks, but also reflect on the problematic beauty standards tied to Body Hair, particularly in women and gay men. To wrap things up, we’ll pit the Queers against the Straights in a game we’re calling, “Hair to Hair, Toe to Toe.” The winner will receive bragging rights and full body sh...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 31
Roses are red, violets are blue, welcome to the Hellscape, where love's askew. There’s love in the air and sewage in the dating pool. While Valentine’s Day might have come and gone, it's never too late to dig up the skeletons in everyone’s dating closets. From Andrew's receding hairline to Maggie's “high” standards, with Erica in charge only one thing is for sure: no one is safe. So break up with your boyfriend, girlfriend, situationship, Twink, etc. and join us as we dive into this anti-love fe...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 30
The countdown to Super Bowl Sunday is on! - and who needs Erin Andrews’ or Shannon Sharpe’s sports commentary when you’ve got a gay man to do it for you! Kirk takes us through what we can expect from the upcoming Big Game between two insufferable teams, performances by mother Reba Mcentire and Usher, and the glorious 25 seconds of screen time our Lord and Savior Taylor Swift is bound to have. Will she drop Rep TV during a Kelce touchdown celebration? Break out your buffalo chicken dip, and let’s...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 29
Black History Month is a time where people can honor the millions of contributions of Black people, events, and movements that have influenced the culture of an entire nation and the world. During this week’s episode, we’re celebrating the Talent, the Icons, the Intelligence, and the Power of the Black and African American community. You’ll receive an overview about the origins of Black History Month and then we’ll talk about how we plan to celebrate it. Plus, we’ll play a fun little game called...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 28
Since this podcast itself is a reboot of a remake, we are fully qualified to give our hot takes on a raging debate: should we retire TV and film reboots, remakes, and even sequels? The answer is...maybe? Come for the brief appearance of the elusive daddy of this podcast, Paul. Stay for Kirk learning that Frasier is a spinoff of Cheers. Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Kirk (@kirk.charles), and Andrew (@andrwjn) Produced by Maggie (@maggiirosee)
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 27
2024 started out with a bang. And we don’t mean NYC Times Square. What we are, of course, referring to is the show-stopping, break-the-internet Katt Williams tell-all interview with host Shannon Sharpe on his podcast, Club Shay Shay. While we wish Williams chose our podcast to expose EVERYONE, and yes we mean everyone — from Kim Kardashian to Harvey Weinstein and he definitely threw some Kevin Hart in there, we felt obligated to share our reactions and thoughts. While we are not entirely sure ab...
Jan 18, 2024•37 min•Ep. 26
Being an American means having the freedom from the tyranny universal healthcare. Today we dive into why healthcare is so good in this glorious country and overwhelming majority of Americans rate our privatized healthcare system a 10 out of 10. Hell yeah brother! LET FREEDOM RING! Just kidding – that ringing you hear is the giant healthcare register in the sky devouring all of our hard-earned money. But, on the plus side, a hospital executive got to get a new boat! Now, pull yourself up by your ...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 25
We're back from holiday break to kickoff the new year in the only way we know how: our sardonic hot takes on new year resolutions. Are resolutions all they are cracked up to be or just another way to fail yourself? Hosted by Erica (@erica_megan), Kirk (@kirk.charles), and Andrew (@andrwjn) Produced by Maggie (@maggiirosee)
Jan 04, 2024•55 min•Ep. 24
