The Hersey brothers rise and shine with a discussion of social media: how Todd interacts with it and how Eric plans for it. Peek behind the curtain of the podcast's posting priorities. Caution: listeners are warned of a discussion of hot dog races that ended in a scenario that required medical attention for one of the participants.
Time for another MT Cast and the topic today (though a bit meta) is one that we hope you enjoy: finding the perfect app to play your favorite podcasts. Todd and Eric have downloaded a whole bunch of podcast players and given them a test drive. They share their results and Eric even gets fancy and hands out letter grades! You can read more in-depth info and see Eric's stats over at EricHersey.com
Today, we swap out Herseys as Lauren subs in for Eric to talk about her #swapmylife challenge. She and Todd discuss some little things that they have changed in their lives and the tremendous impact they have had to make life better. For more information, you can go to StrongFemaleBoss.com
In keeping with the theme of "why do things in order", the Hersey brothers complete their discussions on the Skywalker Saga films with a discussion of the next-to-last film. They do this because they started the series with the Rise of Skywalker (back in February, when that film was still in theaters). They wrap things up by addressing not only the controversies, but also highlighting many of the things this film did very well!
Todd and Eric discuss the band America. It turns out that it is difficult to search (or research) a group with such a common term as their band name who also did not have a lot of controversy or drama... After the break, Eric pitches a music video concept for Sister Golden Hair and there is absolutely no discussion of piracy after the credits. Remember, piracy is wrong and illegal, which is why the Hersey brothers only acquire their music via legal and responsible means. For (a teensy bit of) mo...
This morning's draw from the stack of debate envelopes provides a prompt that is shockingly apt for the Hersey brothers as Todd and Eric had discussed the topic very briefly earlier in the week. The prompt in question: Should listening to audio books "count" as having read the book? The boys have their debate and after the break, we bring you the (earlier) conversation about books, shelves, and all things reading. Once you've listened, head over to Twitter and vote in the poll @CastTod to weigh ...
In another classic rambling morning conversation among the Hersey brothers, they talk a bit about the music that they listen to and of course get a bit dorky with the metadata. The conversation turns to how sharing any streaming service with one's family can taint the algorithms, which leads to a tale of how Eric has intentionally used this for his devious trolling purposes. After the break, Todd confronts Eric on what he is certain is a classic troll job...which of course, Eric denies with ferv...
Todd and Eric begin their discussions of the "sequel" trilogy in the Skywalker Saga! They discuss the things they liked, the things that seem to have gotten some of the old school purists upset, and how what really matters are the memories that they made enjoying the film with their families.
The Hersey boys grow out their hair and party like it's the mid-80's in this edition of Music Ranked, discussing the 13th group on the original list: Mr. Jon Bon Jovi and his crew. They discuss the group's "hair band" heyday and how they've mellowed out (and gone a little Western) as time has passed. For more info, head on over to the Music Ranked! website .
Have you ever listened to the TodCast and thought, "I wonder what it would be like if Todd and Eric actually discussed something and had the facts to back it up?" Well, long time listener (and de facto executive producer) Abby has. She has done her homework and joined the Hersey boys to provide some clarifications on their recent "Paper or Plastic" episode in regards to recycling and sustainability. She even gives us her sources: Adam Ruins Going Green (Adam Ruins Everything, Tru TV) Plastic War...
The conversation begins with a random chat on the use of checks (physical pieces of paper that represent money in your account, for the younger listeners). Somehow, that segued into a discussion of old timey "saloon music", which somehow shifted into a discussion of musical theater. It all makes sense if you listen, I promise. Note that on several occasions, Todd angers the Skype gods with his vocal distaste of Back to the Future III, which Skype punishes with audio clipping.
What starts with Eric discussing the state of one of his many Disney cups (from one of his many trips to the park) evolves into a conversation of recycling, environmental impacts, and what can be done to minimize the damage that we are all doing. Note that this is not a pointless debate, as the health of our planet is certainly not a pointless topic. Todd also goes on a side rant about Kroger's Clicklist situation but dials it back in light of the pandemic situation we now live in. There are ref...
At the time of its release, the tagline was "The Saga is Complete"...which we now know not to be the case since they released six more feature films after this one. Todd and Eric reminisce on their thoughts of the final chapter in the prequel trilogy, recalling both fond memories and personal critiques that they held at the time as well as how those perceptions have changed over time.
Todd and Eric discuss memories both joyous and horrific regarding the Muppet show as their mutual first contact with Sir Elton John. We dive into his music, partnership with Bernie Taupin, and how we remember and enjoy his music over the years. For more info, head on over to the Music Ranked! website .
Todd and Eric discuss the means by which they have tried to be self-sufficient, focusing mainly on the magic of finding out how to do something (or anything) by Googling whatever it was they needed to know.
Todd and Eric stroll down memory lane, discussing the aesthetic of their childhood homes' decor, but only after extensive discussions of facial hair and call center contests. Afterwards, they take a sharp turn into discussions of both jigsaw puzzles and organizing image files.
Todd and Eric did not have a topic predetermined for today, so Todd forced one out of Eric spontaneously. Witness the spectacle of Eric telling of his nocturnal YouTube habits, which spawns into a conversation about Route 66. Warning: There are two instances where Todd goes into "Professor Makes-Things-Up-As-He-Goes"...purely for your enjoyment and NOT for your education. Note: it is honestly a pure coincidence that this episode is the 66th of the season, this was not planned at all....
Todd and Eric return to Eric's original list to discuss Phil Collins. Possibly best known for his time as the front man for Genesis, we instead discuss his solo career. Among other things, we fail to be able to place Mr. Collins within a specific genre, discuss his stint as an actor, and invoke a widening spiral of exchanged trivia that ends a bit shaken (and not stirred). For more info, head on over to the Music Ranked! website .
Eric and Todd deep-dive into the middle movie of the prequel era and determine that they like this a lot more than they remember. The prequels have something of a bad reputation and the Hersey boys prefer to focus on the good bits. The notable exceptions being that Todd is less than happy with the dialog in some spots....and don't get Eric started on droid sportsball!
It seems like almost every time you get on Twitter, someone is getting "cancelled". Todd does some minor mansplaining before the Hersey boys discuss this phenomenon. They each give their hot (and/or lukewarm) takes on how they feel about cancelling someone, when it is appropriate, and if there can be redemption.
Todd and Eric tackle the fourth film, which is the first in the saga. The podcast begins (much as the film does) with a discussion of who owns what and the state of the franchise. Find out what Eric dislikes even more than Jar Jar...
Coming on the heels of our discussion of softer rock, Todd and Eric switch it up by turning to the darker (and heavier) side of rock with Tool. This group was not on Eric's original 2007 list, but the brothers decided that they'd do a bit of a "palate cleanse" and talk about one of the top bands from Todd's list. Eric has done his homework and researched the group via podcasts and videos. Todd shows up and shares his memories... So not entirely unlike the situation for previous Music Ranked epis...
From the Envelopes of Doom (courteously provided by our Executive Producer Abby) comes the next topic of debate: Pop vs. Soda. What follows is one of the shortest debates the Hersey brothers have provided thus far. After the break, they discuss their logic in more detail. Spoiler warning: we prefer that you listen to the first half (the actual debate), then vote in the Twitter poll @CastTod, then proceed in listening to the remainder of the episode. Thank you for your participation!
Eric has bought a new home for his family in Wheeling, West Virginia. He discusses the trials of the move with his brother Todd. Turns out that while Todd has changed locations with some frequency in his past...he's not done much actual "moving" in the traditional sense. As such (and as we've come to expect) Todd shares what little wisdom he can, even if it is only a very minor geography lesson.
A trio of Herseys converge to discuss online learning resources such as Lynda, LinkedIn, Team Treehouse, Udemy, and SkillShare. Todd has some experience as an occasional student, Eric brings his long term learning experiences to the table, and Abby shares her wisdom as both a student and as an instructor. You can find more of Eric's thoughts on the topic here: https://erichersey.com/learning-from-home/ You can find Abby's courses here (and get free trial access to the platform): http://www.abbyh...
As much as we both love Illinois, this podcast is not about the city, but the band. Formerly known as The Chicago Transit Authority (back when their music was more akin to classic rock), they quickly changed their name to simply be Chicago. Eric shows his softer side, sharing his love for the power ballad soft rockers that the band evolved into. For more info, head on over to the Music Ranked! website .
Todd finds notes regarding the Hersey boys' original podcast team-up idea: the MT Cast (as in Multi Tasking). Here, you can gain insights into how little Todd actually knows about Play Doh as well as how he covers for his missteps on conference calls. A little something for everyone!
Todd and Eric start their morning "boot up" routine with some conversation about alarm clocks, wrestling, robots, and free shirts. About midway through, Todd realizes that this could be a TodCast (luckily, he was already recording). We hope you find it entertaining!
We spoil the 3rd Star Wars film released, which is the 6th in the series, and generally agreed to be our 2nd favorite of the original trilogy (which was released 1st, but is the 2nd set of three). Makes sense, right? Warning: this podcast contains references to nudity.
The Hersey boys talk about one of the first rock and roll supergroups (as far as they know, anyway): Crosby, Stills, and Nash. They also discuss CSNY and how these four artist mix-n-matched their way to musical glory. As always, Eric brings the research, Todd brings the snide remarks. For more info, head on over to the Music Ranked! website .
