Turning This Car Around

Lex Friedman, John Moltz and Jon Armstrong•art19.com

America's number one best and favorite podcast about fatherhood hosted by Lex Friedman, John Moltz and Jon Armstrong.

Turning This Car Around is a podcast about parenthood from three dads, Lex Friedman, John Moltz and Jon Armstrong. You can follow us collectively on Twitter as @ttcashow

Lex Friedman is the Chief Revenue Officer at ART19. He is a pretty important guy in the world of podcasting. He's also a writer; he authored humor books like The Snuggie Sutra and The Kid in the Crib.

He was also a senior contributor to Macworld, an author of technology books, and the co-host of Not Playing, a podcast where Dan Moren and Lex watch movies that everyone else has already seen. Mr. Friedman was formerly the cohost of Unprofessional.

Lex’s blog is called Lex, Briefly.

Lex lives with his wife and three kids in New Jersey.

Follow Lex on Twitter

You might know John Moltz as a person on the Internet. Many people do! However, he also appears in other guises, sometimes as a large, golden bull and others as a phalanx of beautiful swans! Usually, however, he appears as a guy working at a desk. Other important points that John Moltz would like to share:

John Moltz is fluent in English and conversational in two other languages.
John Moltz is the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs. He’s fast enough for you, old man.
John Moltz is actually made up of thousands of smaller John Moltzes, all furiously working tiny little gears to keep the larger construct you know as “John Moltz” functioning.
John Moltz is a little too comfortable talking about himself in the third person.

Jon Armstrong is a long time blogger at the barely alive Blurbomat, a UX/UI consultant, a web/business developer, a photographer and the impetus for this show. In a past life he executive produced a popular blog and ran the business. Yes, business. Turning This Car Around marks Armstrong’s first foray into podcasting.

You can see his photos on Flickr and Instagram.

Follow Jon on Twitter

Jon splits time between Brooklyn, New York and Salt Lake City, Utah. Armstrong has two wonderful and amazing biological children and two also wonderful almost-stepchildren.

Follow on

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

181: Mazel Tov To You, Jon

Jon is sick. Moltz is travelling, so Lex goes solo. Until the TTCA Slack sent enough messages to wake Jon. Lex talks back-to-school wins. Jon mentions the accidental discovery of Dream Daddy, a gay dad dating sim. The Steam reviews are priceless: https://kotaku.com/dream-daddy-as-told-by-steam-reviews-1797199049 Our thanks to ProFlowers.com for sponsoring this week's episode. Get 20% off Rainbow Roses or any other bouquet of $29 or more by visiting ProFlowers.com and using the promo code "TTCA" ...

Sep 17, 2017•36 min

180: I'd love an option where I can throttle him

Sending good vibes to Florida. Stay safe during the coming storm. In Moltz's neck of the woods, it's fire that's the problem. Probably a good time to learn how to plan for a disaster. Jon saw Dunkirk and The Big Sick and liked both. Moltz recommends The Museum of Flight if you're in the Seattle area. Do you want your child to get into the best colleges and universities, have the best schooling, whether it's public, private, charter or homeschool? Read "Education a la Carte" by parenting expert a...

Sep 08, 2017•40 min

179: Dog-Like Object

Lex has now seen all the Star Warses, thanks to Not Playing with Lex and Dan. Long Lake Camp for the Arts is pretty amazing. Here's the camp Lex went to, see if you can find the places he made out. Moltz can't believe it but Urinetown is a real musical. Follow us: @ttcashow. Lex Friedman can be found @lexfri, John Moltz can be found @Moltz and Jon Armstrong is @blurb.

Sep 01, 2017•32 min

178: Disney, No Kids!

Lex recently visited Disneyland and his question: "Why is there any amount of Chip 'n' Dale? Our thanks to That's It Fruit for sponsoring this week's episode. That's It Fruit bars are great grab-n-go snacks for kids made of real fruit with no added sugar. Go to ThatsItFruit.com and enter the code "TURNING" to get 10% off your order. Our thanks to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your life. Set your sleep number from 0 to 100 to adjust how firm or soft you want your sleep experience. Find a Sleep ...

Aug 26, 2017•38 min

177: MaxPunCon

Who needs a Dew bucket? Have you read The Butter Battle Book? We struggle to remember which Daily Show correspondent was in Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World. Blast From The Past was kind of cute. So was Enchanted. Arrival isn't cute, but it's good. Our thanks to Care.com for sponsoring this episode. Care.com helps you find any kind of care help you need: babysitters, nannies, dog walkers and elder care. Go to Care.com/TTCA and you'll get 30 percent off a premium membership. Our thanks a...

Aug 20, 2017•41 min

176: Hamilton Slash Fiction

Jon is the best of us at Alto's Adventure. He recommends Zombie Gunship. Liam solved a problem with Nabbit. Dunno if you've heard but the kids love Minecraft. Moltz reminisces about Red vs Blue. Our thanks to Pro Flowers, fresh flowers delivered straight to your door, guaranteed fresh for seven days. It's a no-brainer gift for any occasion. Go to ProFlowers.com, click on the microphone and enter the code "TTCA" at checkout and get $10 off your purchase of $29 or more. Our thanks as well to Revan...

Aug 12, 2017•39 min

175: Kids in Cars Not Having Coffee

No Armstrong this week so Lex and Moltz talk cars again a bit. Lex has a Tesla Model S. Moltz's wife got a Subaru Crosstrek. Our thanks to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your life. Set your sleep number from 0 to 100 to adjust how firm or soft you want your sleep experience. Find a Sleep Number store near you at SleepNumber.com and tell them Lex from Turning This Car Around sent you (really). Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant Optics makes replacement sunglass lenses for any brand star...

Aug 05, 2017•41 min

174: New Cars!

Jon and his kids play Steven Universe Monopoly. Lex uses the Plugshare app to... do electrical car stuff. Our thanks to That's It Fruit for sponsoring this week's episode. That's It Fruit bars are great grab-n-go snacks for kids made of real fruit with no added sugar. Go to ThatsItFruit.com and enter the code "TURNING" to get 10% off your order. Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant Optics makes replacement sunglass lenses for any brand starting at just $24 a pair. Don't suffer with scratc...

Jul 29, 2017•42 min

173: Horrible Bike Puns

Here's Jessie Char's passenger feet horror with Anderson Cooper. Our thanks as well to Blue Apron. Blue Apron ships you ingredients and amazing recipes. Learn while you cook and cook meals you'll love. Go to BlueApron.com/TURNING and get three meals FREE with free shipping. Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant Optics makes replacement sunglass lenses for any brand starting at just $24 a pair. Don't suffer with scratched lenses, go to RevantOptics.com/TTCA and use the code "TTCA" to get 20...

Jul 23, 2017•43 min

172: Lex is a Hero

James Thompsons is the author of PCalc and also Lex's personal travel agent. Moltz got a Switch but didn't get the ARMS game. Conan O'Brien battled Will Arnett in a game of ARMS. Our thanks to Pro Flowers, fresh flowers delivered straight to your door, guaranteed fresh for seven days. It's a no-brainer gift for any occasion. Go to ProFlowers.com, click on the microphone and enter the code "TTCA" at checkout and get $10 off your purchase of $29 or more. Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant...

Jul 15, 2017•47 min

171: Food & Fireworks

Jon discusses his dinner at Yakiniku West. Our thanks to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your life. Set your sleep number from 0 to 100 to adjust how firm or soft you want your sleep experience. Find a Sleep Number store near you at SleepNumber.com and tell them Lex from Turning This Car Around sent you (really). Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant Optics makes replacement sunglass lenses for any brand starting at just $24 a pair. Don't suffer with scratched lenses, go to RevantOptics.co...

Jul 08, 2017•55 min

170: Home Improvement

Lex is away but Jon and Moltz discuss summer plans, fatherly repairs and power tools and such. Jon is a fan of heat-shrink tubing. Don't make it weird. Our thanks to CozyPhones for sponsoring this episode. CozyPhones are comfortable headphones in adorable headbands that your kids will love to wear. Visit CozyPhones.com/TTCA and get 20% off your order! Our thanks as well to Revant Optics. Revant Optics makes replacement sunglass lenses for any brand starting at just $24 a pair. Don't suffer with ...

Jul 01, 2017•43 min

169: The One Where the Boy Dies

Lex will be dragging his tired children around an 11th century castle as a sign of his power. Maybe that's why they got him a character that gets left in a hole. Our thanks to Redbox for sponsoring this week's episode. School is out so it's time to get some movies and games. Go to Redbox.com and use the code "TTCA" to get your first 1-night game rental for free! Our thanks as well to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your life. Set your sleep number from 0 to 100 to adjust how firm or soft you wan...

Jun 23, 2017•45 min

168: Lex's Father's Day

Turns out there's another Lex Friedman. Lex isn't getting a Father's Day present other than the one he's buying himself. We again discuss Randy Pausch's last lecture. Our thanks to Redbox for sponsoring this week's episode. School is out so it's time to get some movies and games. Go to Redbox.com and use the code "TTCA" to get your first 1-night game rental for free! And our thanks to Happy Socks for sponsoring this episode. Everyone needs sock, why not have them be fun? Go to HappySocks.com/TTC...

Jun 16, 2017•35 min

167: I Was Literally In That Movie

Lex attended the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Lex recommends Impractical Jokers for Hank. We also discuss Twitter personality Darth who is a national treasure. We discuss children and their online presence, such as the kid who does makeup tutorials online. Our thanks to the Amazon Kindle e-reader, a co-sponsor of the Scripts National Spelling Bee. The Kindle e-reader is the perfect no-strings-attached device for kids. Go to Amazon.com/KindleForKids to check out a great bundle deal. Our thanks ...

Jun 09, 2017•50 min

166: The Perviest Episode Ever

The kids in Jon's house watched Hook. Moltz will not hear any criticism of Rufio and is looking forward to his upcoming origin story. Jon and Moltz both like Four Roses bourbon. Looking for a prom dress? Try not-an-advertiser PromGirl. We regret to inform you that Mary Kay Letourneau and her former student and then husband have separated. So have Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor. Our thanks to the Amazon Kindle e-reader, a co-sponsor of the Scripts National Spelling Bee. The Kindle e-reader is t...

Jun 02, 2017•54 min

165: LARP Disaster

Jon has some things to say about Pat Metheny. Also Nyle Steiner. This New York Times piece on German outdoor preschools is interesting but I'm not sure it'll work in Alaska. We prep for our upcoming podcast about Jeff Goldblum (probably not a real thing) by talking about The Tall Guy. Moltz had never heard of Stella, the comedy group. Jason Alexander has long said he was inspired by William Shatner. They probably wouldn't make a movie like Crazy People anymore. Our thanks to the Amazon Kindle e-...

May 26, 2017•39 min

164: Sleepunder v Sleepfauxver

Lex makes many a Slack Call. Moltz fondly remembers Ho-Hos. Fidget spinners are causing injuries? You drive a stair car, you're gonna get hop-ons. Everyone loves Otter Pops. The Chief Crunchy ice cream bar character is just as racist as Moltz remembers it. Our thanks to Happy Socks for sponsoring this episode. Everyone needs sock, why not have them be fun? Go to HappySocks.com/TTCA and use the promo code "TTCA" to get 30% off your order. Our thanks as well to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your...

May 18, 2017•43 min

163: Furiously Awkward

Jon likes the Johnny Drum. As well as Booker's. He is fresh from a production of Godspell. Lex just watched Little Shop of Horrors with his daughter. This guy really hates Portland. Our thanks to Protect America, award-winning home security with locked in rates starting at just $19.99 per month. Go to ProtectAmerica.com/Car to get $5 off your monthly monitoring! Our thanks also to Movement Watches, makers of beautifully designed watches that won't break your budget. Go to MVMTWatches.com/TTCA an...

May 12, 2017•41 min

162: Albert Brooks Hair was Fantastic in Taxi Driver

Lex discusses traditional hamentashen cookies but check out these hamentashen cookies. Common Sense Media can help you figure out what entertainment is good for your kids. The movie Caligula? NOPE. Even though it does have Helen Mirren in it. Lex's wife got some Wonder Woman pajamas. Jon reminisces about Albert Brooks skit on Saturday Night Live. Albert Brooks was also Frank Scorpio. Our thanks to West County Gardener for sponsoring this episode. West County Gardener makes heavy-duty garden glov...

May 05, 2017•56 min

161: This Ends Before I'm Born

You missed Bring Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day. Kids seem to like FaceApp (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/faceapp-neural-face-transformations/id1180884341?mt=8). Even if it is racist (https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/25/faceapp-apologises-for-building-a-racist-ai/). Our thanks toWest County Gardener for sponsoring this episode. West County Gardener makes heavy-duty garden gloves out of recycled materials. Use the promo code "TTCA" to save 20% off your order from now until Mother's Day at htt...

Apr 29, 2017•29 min

160: So Much Wrong With Everything

Lex likes Someday much better than that book Jon likes. The character John Munch has been on many shows. Jon recommends the movie Swimming With Sharks for Lex. Several of us like the game series Just Dance and it even has a Wiki. Our thanks to West County Gardener for sponsoring this episode. West County Gardener makes heavy-duty garden gloves out of recycled materials. Use the promo code "TTCA" to save 20% off your order from now until Mother's Day. Our thanks also to Keepsake an app that lets ...

Apr 21, 2017•43 min

159: YouTube Rathole

Moltz fell down a rathole by watching the Space: 1999 intro credits. Then he watched the Six Million Dollar Man intro credits and so on and so on. Watching Julie Louise-Dreyfus crack up repeatedly is pretty fun. Get the real scoop on the 8-year-old who drove himself and his sister to McDonald's here. One of Hank's hobbies is installing old operating systems on Virtual Box. Jon suggests he try Vagrant. Our thanks to Blue Apron for sponsoring this episode. Blue Apron ships you ingredients and amaz...

Apr 14, 2017•42 min

158: Gone to the Dog

No Lex this week but we have a special guest. Moltz talks about seeing Mike Monteiro's talk on fighting fascism. Jon talks about Umberto Eco's essay on Ur-Fascism which is available in PDF form. Jon speaks fondly of playing Need For Speed. His favorite character is Magnus Walker. The kids, they love Goat Simulator. Moltz's son finally beat his grandfather at chess. Pretty cool considering he once beat Bobby Fischer. You can see the game moves on Chessgame.com. Our thanks to Pro Flowers, fresh fl...

Apr 07, 2017•43 min

157: Horror Show. For Kids!

We reflect on The Revenge of the Nerds. The new interpretation of It looks appropriately scary. The Moltzes don't own the Is It Tea You're Looking For teapot. Yet. John C. Reilly makes some weird videos. The Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! was pretty weird, too. Alec Baldwin taught a kid how to do his Trump impersonation. Miranda Sings is a YouTuber the kids like. Lex and his kids like Super Mario Brothers U. Jon likes the books of Robert Munsch like The Paper Bag Princess. Lex's son likes...

Mar 31, 2017•40 min

156: Missing Bidet

We talk about school experiences and Jon brings up some research showing boys and girls learn differently. More importantly, however, why isn't Tushy a sponsor on this show? I mean, really. Our thanks to Blue Apron for sponsoring this episode. Blue Apron ships you ingredients and amazing recipes. Learn while you cook and cook meals you'll love. Go to BlueApron.com/TURNING and get three meals FREE with free shipping. Our thanks as well to Sleep Number, the best sleep of your life. Set your sleep ...

Mar 23, 2017•38 min

155: Kids are Like Dogs

Lex recommends a podcast called Brains On. And we all like Hello From The Magic Tavern if it’s not always kid-friendly. And, since this a podcast about pet ownership, we talk about whether or not dogs have emotions. Is a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's? Is Moltz's mouth cleaner than an original iPad box? Lex wrote about his wait for the UPS deliverer way back when. Our thanks to Movement Watches, makers of beautifully designed watches that won't break your budget. Go to MVMTWatches.com/TTCA a...

Mar 17, 2017•42 min

154: Not Real Frustrated, Just Game Frustrated

Lex says a big thank you to Jared at Earwolf for helping him with studio time for this week's show. Jon's daughter wanted to go see Doctor Strange. They went to The Red Turtle instead and he recommends it. If you feel like it, why not introduce your friends and/or social media followers to a podcast you like. It doesn't have to be this one, just suggest a podcast you like and use the hashtag #trypod. Our thanks to Pro Flowers, fresh flowers delivered straight to your door, guaranteed fresh for s...

Mar 07, 2017•32 min

153: Kids R Weird

We talk about a bunch of parenting stuff before we get to entertainment, I swear. Moltz love The Great Escape but there are a few goofs in the movie (he's gonna have to go back and check the one he mentioned because it doesn't seem to be listed on IMDB). Lex can'd even start watching Back to the Future III without anticipating the creepy crotch kid. Turns out Lex actually watches television shows. One that he's enjoyed 15 minutes of is one Moltz suggested: Travelers. Lex had a suggestion for Mol...

Mar 01, 2017•50 min

152: Just for the Halibut

Note: Mr. Armstrong apologizes for his crap audio. Time for a new mic. The San Diego Zoo is a great place to spend the day or a few hours if you're 13. Pizza Port and The Belly Up Tavern are two of Lex's favorite San Diego places. Jon brings up mercury levels in fish which are a concern for kids and everyone, really. If you're looking for a chart, check out the FDA guidelines. No one was more surprised to read this information than the bigeye tuna. Our thanks to Blue Apron for sponsoring this ep...

Feb 24, 2017•42 min

← Prev Next →

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android

Open in Metacast