One Tray of Cold Mashed Potatoes, Please

For tonight's Sunday Edition, Josh Gondelman talks with karaoke jockey Nick Conrad (host of Championship Karaoke in Chicago) about reading a room, picking the right song for the right moment, and why a bar full of strangers can feel like a tribe.What You'll Hear:Grace's First Night On Mic: Josh revisits his conversation with caller Grace, who conquered her stage fright through karaoke, and introduces the very KJ who hosted that fateful night.The Art of Reading a Room: Nick breaks down how he builds confidence in nervous singers, which songs to steer people away from at midnight, and why Adele's saddest ballads are a party foul.Strangers, Reunions, and a Tribe of Weirdos: From a surprise hug mid-song to a couple screaming their way through a very inappropriate song choice, Nick shares the strange magic that keeps karaoke rooms feeling like home.CHAPTERS:00:00 Remembering Grace's karaoke origin story02:20 Welcome, Nick Conrad!05:00 Reading the room and building confidence08:43 Songs to avoid and songs that slap15:14 Unexpected karaoke connections20:21 Good night to the tribe of weirdos!For the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Violet about Starbucks discontinuing her beloved cranberry refresher, the quest for a decent sugar cookie latte, and why Aquaphor might just save us all this winter.What You'll Hear:The Cranberry Refresher Eulogy: Violet mourns the holiday drink that once made her Christmas complete, and Greta -- a self-proclaimed non-coffee-drinker -- gets a crash course in Starbucks grief.Sugar Cookie or Bust: The two sort through this year's sad lineup of seasonal drinks, including a unicorn frappuccino that did not, in fact, taste magical.Cozy Season Survival Tips: Talk turns to skincare routines, vitamin D, Aquaphor devotion, and why making your bed might be the secret to surviving daylight saving time.CHAPTERS:00:00 Starbucks mysteries, no coffee required01:00 Caller Violet mourns her cranberry refresher05:00 Sugar cookie lattes and Christmas conspiracies08:00 Daylight saving blues and cozy routines13:00 Rhode, Aquaphor, and winter skincare secrets17:00 Practical Magic, witchy moms, and goodnightFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Bragg talks with caller Poppy about the tangled florist-slash-gift-shop-slash-insurance business she works at, the truffles that net her store a whopping fifteen cents apiece, and her heartfelt plea for customers to just spend a little more money.What You'll Hear:A Vinted Lowball Gone Wrong: Matt opens with his own haggling saga over a secondhand parka, and the friend whose lowball advice once got him publicly roasted by a seller.Life Behind the Counter: Poppy explains how her small-town shop became part florist, part gift store, part insurance office, part nursery, and why flowers alone couldn't keep the lights on.The Ten-Dollar Delivery Fee Fight: From truffles that earn fifteen cents a pop to customers who think a bouquet should walk itself over for free, Poppy breaks down why the price is the price.CHAPTERS:00:00 Matt's Vinted lowball drama01:41 Poppy calls in from the florist05:12 Truffles that barely break even07:02 The ten-dollar delivery fee fight11:18 Weddings, funerals, and daily hagglers14:09 Just spend a little more moneyFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Gondelman talks with caller Robert about the magic of Red Rocks Amphitheatre, bands that level up live, and why Casa Bonita makes the perfect concert-day detour.What You'll Hear:Why Red Rocks Belongs on Your List: Robert makes his case for the famous Colorado amphitheater, from its ancient acoustics to the thunderstorms rolling across the prairie.Bands That Level Up Live: Josh and Robert swap stories about artists like Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens who transform once they hit a big stage, plus the strange pride of watching a friend-of-a-friend get famous.A Perfectly Engineered Concert Day: Robert shares his secret itinerary, pairing an afternoon at Casa Bonita with an evening under the rocks.CHAPTERS:00:00 Josh sets up tonight's call-in recommendation01:57 Welcome, caller Robert02:33 The case for Red Rocks Amphitheatre09:25 Bands that level up live20:00 Dream shows and Taylor Mac23:30 The Casa Bonita bonus tip24:33 Good nightsFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Bill about playing nurse to his newly knee-replaced mom, the mysterious healing power of Milano cookies, and the childhood-home photo landmines he can't stop tripping over.What You'll Hear:Caretaking Suits Him: Bill describes feeling "born to be a caretaker" while nursing his mom through her second knee replacement, complete with walker etiquette notes and nerve-block oversharing.The Milano Cookie Theory: Bill and Greta debate the medicinal properties of Pepperidge Farm cookies and uncover his mom's surprisingly strict stance on dark chocolate.Childhood Home Landmines: Greta and Bill compare notes on rediscovering old photos and forgotten toys, and what it feels like to stumble into memories you didn't know you had.CHAPTERS:00:00 Meet caller Bill, home for mom's surgery02:52 Round two: knee replacement caretaking04:08 An award-winning journalist, now full-time nurse08:00 The healing power of Milano cookies13:30 Old photos and childhood home landmines19:51 Creaky knees and goodnight to BlairFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Bragg talks with Caller Matt about why Star Trek: The Next Generation, with its hopeful future and ever-present ship hum, makes the ultimate comfort watch.What You'll Hear:A Comfort Watch Confession: Matt kicks things off with his newfound soft spot for reruns of The Office (the American one!)Captain Picard's Endless Wisdom: Caller Matt explains why Star Trek: The Next Generation is the rare sci-fi show that's hopeful instead of dystopian, and why Jean-Luc Picard's calm authority makes it so soothing.The Hum That Lulls You to Sleep: From the ship's steady background drone to an old app that played spaceship sounds all night long, Caller Matt reveals the real secret behind Star Trek's bedtime powers.CHAPTERS:00:00 Square sausage, Scotland, and a case for comfort shows01:23 Welcome, Caller Matt!02:49 Why Star Trek: The Next Generation is so hopeful08:00 Sleeping to spaceship drones13:00 Why the newer Picard series missed the mark15:56 The best spaceship drone for sleepFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Grace about how a nervous first night at a dive-bar mic turned into two years of karaoke courage, a 36-person group text called Karaoke Recovery, and even a performance at Chicago's Salt Shed.What You'll Hear:A Wichita Halloween Update: Josh shares a voice memo from past caller Kathryn, whose neighborhood went through $300 of candy by 8:15 and witnessed a very game kid dressed as The Dude.From Dive Bar to Confidence: Grace walks Josh through her very first karaoke night, nerves, a surprise reunion with an old coworker turned DJ, and the song that's followed her ever since.Participation Over Perfection: Grace explains the mindset that turned her from a nervous singer into a regular at karaoke bars across Chicago, and eventually, the Salt Shed stage.CHAPTERS:00:00 A Halloween candy update from Kathryn04:28 Welcome, caller Grace!08:00 Setting the scene at the dive bar11:00 Participation over perfection18:00 The group text called Karaoke Recovery20:13 Singing at the Salt ShedFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Gondelman talks with film critic Alison Willmore (co-host of the podcast Critical Darlings) about the brain-breaking Elizabeth Holmes documentary, the small movies flying under the radar, and the big swings that teeter on glorious chaos.What You'll Hear:The Movie Everyone But Josh Has Seen: Josh confesses he's somehow the last person on earth who hasn't seen You Can See Everything, and Alison makes the case for why it's worth the wait.Small Films, Big Feelings: From a tiny Canadian documentary to a beekeeping musical turned revenge thriller, Alison shares the under-the-radar movies that deserve way more attention.Awards Season, Honestly: A rundown of fall's biggest contenders, including a dark comedy about Hamlet, an "acquired child" movie with a twist, and why horror performances deserve more respect.CHAPTERS:00:00 Josh confesses he still hasn't seen You Can See Everything02:25 Welcome, Alison Willmore!05:27 What makes You Can See Everything so great10:44 The underseen gem Blue Heron13:36 A look ahead at future fall/winter films22:37 Movies that teeter on glorious chaosFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Michael about his surprising strategy for finally finishing books: parking himself in a quiet, fake Old West saloon at Six Flags for twelve-hour reading marathons while his kids ride the roller coasters without him.What You'll Hear:The Reading Hack Born at Six Flags: Michael explains how refusing to ride roller coasters turned amusement park days into his most productive reading time all summer.A World Within a World Within a World: The two dig into why fake, immersive places like a saloon-themed corner of a theme park can feel strangely perfect for getting lost in a book.Audiobooks, Dog Walks, and Distracted Reading Chairs: Greta and Michael swap notes on where reading actually happens in real life, from audiobooks during chores to a "reading chair" that keeps getting buried in laundry.CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome, caller Michael02:08 The reading hack revealed05:00 Twelve hours at Six Flags, no rides allowed08:00 Reading The Fifth Elephant cover to cover13:00 A world within a world within a world21:21 The airport as another escape hatchFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Bragg talks with caller Andreas about hunting rare soul 45s, DJing his way across Copenhagen nightlife, and the thrill of chasing records that were only ever pressed in batches of 500.What You'll Hear:A CD in the Age of Streaming: Matt opens with a small, surprising joy -- a friend mailed him a sealed CD from an Australian band, proof that physical music still has its charms.From San Diego to Copenhagen, by Way of a Girlfriend: Andreas explains how a summer romance turned into seventeen years abroad, complete with record snowfall and a hard lesson about Scandinavian winters.The Beautiful Failures of Soul Music: Andreas gets into the obsessive world of rare soul 45s, the ones pressed in runs of 500 and then forgotten, and why finding them feels like striking gold.CHAPTERS:00:00 Late-night thoughts and a surprise CD gift01:19 Meet Andreas, calling from Copenhagen04:00 Life, love, and weather in Scandinavia09:02 Diving into DJing and rare soul 45s15:09 What makes soul music so special20:48 The rarest record in his collectionFor the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.