Pessimistic at Best - podcast cover

Pessimistic at Best

Welcome to Pessimistic at Best, a podcast for those with a penchant for frequent frustrations, personal gripes, unpopular opinions, honest observations, and the like. Hosted by Sam, your resident Pessimistic Patty, this weekly show dares to ask the question—have we tried listening to women?

Each week, Sam sits down with a guest to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly. A surprisingly good country album by your favorite pop artist, a bad bang trim you gave yourself during a manic episode, a military homecoming video on the internet that made you ugly cry. The list is endless, and therein lies the beauty. Come on in, we saved you a seat!

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Episodes

Bring Back Crossover Episodes

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Picture this: the year is 2006, and Disney's three-episode crossover series 'That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana' is releasing its first episode at 8/7 central, and you're SAT, ready to witness a piece of history. James and I take to the podcast to nerd out over iconic crossover episodes, spiral over the sensation of an itch, and pick apart some truly cursed celebrity endorsements. P.S. This marks the end of season 9, we’ll return in August! ...

May 27, 202547 min

We’re All Afraid Our Kids Will Be Losers

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) We're all secretly afraid that our kids will be losers, and listen, I'm here to tell you that if that happened to me? I wouldn't talk to him either! James and I jump on the podcast to toast to bar games (think pool, darts, shuffleboard, yktv!!!), lament the fact that our thousand-dollar pocket computers require protective gear just to survive, and side-eye parents who let their kids wear AirPods during family time. Get silly with us on social: F...

May 20, 202557 min

The Breakfast Industrial Complex

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Why did breakfast box itself into such narrow thinking? The day's most important meal could be so much more than eggs, if only we let it become fully realized!!! Sadie and I jump on the podcast to chat about nicknames we love, bike lanes we loathe, and our deep dissatisfaction with the oppressive egg agenda. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com F...

May 13, 20251 hr 14 min

Novelty Snacks

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If there's a viral snack collab unfolding, Lilly is on the scene! Mountain Dew x Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? Sign her up. Swedish Fish Oreos? She's buying 'em, and nobody can stop her, damn it! Lilly and I take to the podcast to indulge in absurd snack innovations, spiral about accumulating too much “stuff,” and express our utter disgust at some of the world’s most nauseating smells. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimist...

May 06, 20251 hr 24 min

A Biggie for Your Troubles

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Who eats sardines straight from the tin, carries a wad of rubberband-bound singles, and is in “talks” with the Italian government? Depends on who's asking. Adam and I take to the podcast to toast to tinned fish, raise a stink about early morning construction, and pour one out for the many folks who were recently denied Italian citizenship thanks to the consulate's ever-changing rules. Join in, we just might make you an offer you can't refuse. Ge...

Apr 29, 20251 hr 20 min

Sexy Unique Restaurant

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) It’s important to remember that the SUR experience has little to do with the food. Its true specialties lie in campy ambiance, overpriced cocktails, and the chance to share a room with some of reality TV’s messiest players—pure bliss! Matt and I jump on the podcast to honor our favorite divorce albums, condemn car culture’s grip on society, and reflect on the tragedy of the Titanic on the 113th anniversary of its sinking. Get silly with us on so...

Apr 22, 20251 hr 10 min

The Waterpark Capital of the World

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Picture this: You're freshly thirteen, you've got your brand new Ocean Pacific swimsuit on, and you're patiently making your way up the wooden staircase with your tube in hand. What's waiting for you at the top, you ask? None other than the Wilderness' most infamous waterslide, the Hurricane . Talk about full-body chills! Colton and I jump on the podcast to celebrate the versatility of frozen peas, mourn the loss of single-use websites, and argu...

Apr 15, 20251 hr 26 min

Wrestling Is the Straight Man’s Drag

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Name something more c*nty than a giant chiseled man with a spray tan and platinum blonde blowout strutting to the ring in a bedazzled outfit to the tune of "Real American"—you can't! Rohan and I take to the podcast to celebrate grown men finding an outlet for self-expression, reject the creation of breast milk-flavored ice cream, and criticize the wealthy elite hoarding their fortunes. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @...

Apr 08, 20251 hr 1 min

Just Scan the QR Code on the Table

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If I have to use my own cellphone to pull up the menu at the restaurant, I'm clocking in because I work here now. I said what I said! James and I return to the podcast to celebrate Flow's Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (s/o to Latvia, a real place that exists!), dismantle the Digital Menu Industrial Complex™️, and point fingers at people who don't make enough room for you on the sidewalk. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST ...

Apr 01, 202547 min

Feeling Insecure About My Water Bottle

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) I recently found myself feeling insecure about my Hydro during a Zoom call full of Stanleys and decided enough is enough! Screw your trendy water bottle! Unless you're still chewing on your Camelbak straw, like seriously, it's time to move on. James and I hit the podcast to celebrate mixing metals, call out water bottle fads, and critique public feuds. Join in, you know you wanna! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessi...

Mar 25, 202540 min

Leaving It All on the Field

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Picture this: The year is 2025 and you're making the active choice to jump back on the reading train after it dawns on you that you've forgotten how to do anything besides watch TV. Sound familiar? If so, you're safe here! Grace and I take to the podcast to celebrate Chelsea Handler's new book, I'll Have What She's Having, recoil at the thought of receiving an out-of-pocket text (examples included), and pay homage to all of the grown men who hav...

Mar 18, 20251 hr 23 min

Seafood Boil Mukbang

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Have you ever been out to eat when your waiter suddenly goes missing, only to reappear on stage, mic in hand, bringing down the house? It's like, sure you wanted another martini, but ultimately you're happy they're having their moment! Owen and I take to the podcast to celebrate servers with secret talents, protest loud speakers in public places, and cringe at the mukbang of it all (no offense!) Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST In...

Mar 04, 20251 hr 4 min

Gleek Hive Rise Up

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Were you normal, or were you spending your iTunes gift cards on Glee covers? Don't worry, you're amongst friends! Donnie and I take to the podcast to celebrate authenticity, stress over our favorite strategy-based reality TV game shows, and complain about men, naturally! Btw, did we ever figure out if Lea Michelle could read? Lmk, seriously. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbes...

Feb 25, 20251 hr 12 min

Breakfast Is Thrust Upon You

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Brunch is something you plan in advance. It's an event you prepare for. Heck, you might even put on a cute outfit! Breakfast, on the other hand, is thrust upon you (whether you like it or not!) Luke and I take to the podcast to rejoice in the pleasure of breakfast with your friends, complain about the reality of women's healthcare, and clap back at people who pick on picky eaters. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessi...

Feb 18, 20251 hr 31 min

Death of the Mainstream

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Everyone can be someone and anything can be cool — and isn't that beautiful? Sure, there will always be pop stars with seismic fanbases like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, but the "mainstream" is over, you heard it here first! James and I take to the podcast to dive into the death of the mainstream, protest our apparent collective dedication to ignoring the human desire to hibernate, and shame TV and movie franchises that refuse to let a good thing g...

Feb 11, 20251 hr 4 min

When Your Pants Get a Little Loose at the Knees

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) We're back, babies! And ever so grateful to be back in your ears each week. We missed you terribly — what a long two months it has truly been. Much to catch up on, so let's take it from the top! James and I take to the podcast to share our favorite onomatopoeias, lament over the humiliation of running to catch the bus, and complain about pants when they inevitably get a little loose at the knees after a long day of wear. Get silly with us on soc...

Feb 04, 202546 min

You Seem Tired

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Friendly reminder that the absolute worst thing you can do is tell someone they seem tired, it never goes over well. Instead, you could try, "You look like shit," or "What the hell is your problem." This week James and I take to the podcast to encourage more themed parties, commiserate about just how much it sucks to throw up, and to render our final verdict on the fake Christmas tree of it all. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST In...

Nov 26, 202431 min

Becoming a Better Person

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Great news team, becoming a better person is actually incredibly easy! Follow our 5-step process and you'll surely go straight to heaven or be reincarnated as something really cool or whatever. In this week's episode, James and I take to the podcast to celebrate the versatility of the fist bump, condemn the act of killing bugs outside, and drag the folks who film strangers in public without their consent — seriously, don't do that! Get silly wit...

Nov 19, 202440 min

What’s up with Delaware?

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Have you ever been to the state of Delaware? Because me neither, and I have no designs on visiting! Devonte and I take to the podcast to celebrate finding fulfillment in our respective careers and shared community, to burst the bubble that is traveling for work, and to throw shade at the CTA. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLOW SAMANTHA I...

Nov 12, 20241 hr 7 min

Weaponized Incompetence

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Playing dumb is all fun and games until you're on the receiving end of such behavior — we said what we said! Aidan and I take to the podcast to sing the praises of our favorite fast-food chain (Taco Bell, duh!), deliberate over the appropriate way to deplane after a flight, and expose people for weaponizing their incompetence. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pess...

Nov 05, 20241 hr 29 min

The Quest to Become a Morning Person

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Are you buying into the propaganda that morning people are more productive? Because we’ve sold our souls and signed on the dotted line. Manu and I are just a couple of night owls on the quest to become early risers and get that damn worm if it's the last thing we do! Join us on the podcast for a conversation about embracing new hobbies, getting bad sleep, and the curse of the Hyundai Sonata. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instag...

Oct 29, 20241 hr 19 min

What Your Cracked iPhone Says About You

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If you listen to this episode I'm sorry and if you make it all the way to the end something is literally wrong with you! Truly rubbing my last two brain cells together for this one, enter at your own risk! James and I take to the podcast to relive the golden age of computer games, lament the hassle of cleaning one's makeup brushes, and shame anyone with a cracked iPhone based on what it says about their personality — trust me, it speaks volumes!...

Oct 22, 202451 min

We're Not Friends We're Business Partners

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) We're starting a support group for people who have had to execute a Facebook Marketplace pickup while viciously hungover—do you want in? Luke and I take to the podcast this week to chat about our favorite micro-influencers, our aversion to submitting maintenance requests as renters, and our deep disappointment when we reconvene with our besties after a night out and no one has collected any good tea. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCA...

Oct 15, 20241 hr 11 min

Concert Etiquette

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If it's one thing about us, it's that we're going to buy tickets to the concert! Annie and I take to the podcast to share in our love for being "woo" girls at our favorite live shows, to bitch about music venues that don't have water stations, and to shame our friends who don't know how to purchase concert tickets without getting scammed. (You know who you are — said with love!) Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimi...

Oct 08, 20241 hr 33 min

9 Beers, 9 Hotdogs, 9 Innings

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) How many hotdogs could you reasonably consume in a 2.5-hour sitting? The 9x9x9 challenge has officially met its match, and I have the absolute pleasure of hosting our fearless champion on this week's podcast! Neil and I take to the pod to chat about the joys of trying your hand at something new, the horrors of bad plumbing, and the ultimate buzzkill—getting slapped with a parking ticket (or two). Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST I...

Oct 01, 20241 hr 26 min

Autumn's Rebrand

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Is it just us, or do all Midwestern dads have the same undeniable penchant for building elaborate underwater ecosystems within the home? What’s the story there? This week on the podcast Grace and I share our affinity for Autumn's rebrand, our loathing of overcrowded spaces, and our tendency toward bad sportsmanship. Join in, you know you wanna! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticat...

Sep 24, 20241 hr 19 min

The Man Behind the Curtain

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If you're chemically addicted to watching Chicago apartment tours on TikTok, this episode is for you! Get to know the man behind the curtain (or camera), from his least favorite household chore to his go-to Chipotle order. Dean and I take to the podcast to chat about how he got started doing his now infamous apartment tours, the ups and downs of social media, the challenges that come with growing out of friendships, and so much more! Get silly w...

Sep 17, 20241 hr 1 min

Nature's Still Got It

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) You know you've been spending too much time indoors when you go outside and think to yourself, man it rocks out here!! James and I take to the podcast to chat about the benefits of being curious, the worst smells at the Logan Square Farmer's Market, and the absolute freaks that think it's okay to litter. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLO...

Sep 10, 202448 min

This Year We're Acting Hot

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Now, I'm not here to tell you to fake it until you make it, but sometimes the key to being hot is simply acting hot!!! Pat and I take to the pod this week to share our mutual love of Google Calendar, divulge our early interest in retirement, and discuss doing the hard work of confronting our emotions. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLOW S...

Sep 03, 202459 min

Not Going to Let a Man Tell Me What to Do

Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If it's one thing about us, it's that we're never going to let a man tell us what to do. Dante and I take to the podcast to sing the praises of this summer's pop girlies, lament the horrors of moving, and ruminate over the audacity of people at the airport. Join in, you know you wanna. ;) Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLOW SAMANTHA Insta...

Aug 27, 20241 hr 13 min
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