Hoot’n & Holler’n With Matt Mitchell

We’re back in the vault.   This episode of Scattered & Covered comes from one of our live, on-location recordings where we basically set up, see who walks by, and let it rip.   This time, we met a garbage man who chases tornadoes.   From the Boston Celtics to trash truck mechanics to real-life storm chasing in Alabama, this one goes everywhere and somehow keeps getting better.

Somehow… this became a full episode. What started as leftover clips from our last recording quickly turned into something we couldn’t ignore. We went off the rails, stayed there, and now you’re listening to the results. In this episode, we bounce between mariachi bands playing “Achy Breaky Heart,” an ongoing rat situation that may or may not be escalating, the chaos of Costco, competitive eating legends, hot dog rankings, and a few stories that probably should’ve stayed off the record. It doesn’t make sense. There’s no real theme. And honestly, we’re not even sure how it all connects. But it made us laugh… so here we are. If you enjoy Southern storytelling, off-the-cuff conversations, and the kind of randomness that only happens when nobody hits the brakes—this one’s for you.

Before Google, before smartphones, before you could fact-check anything in 2 seconds… we just believed stuff.   In this episode, the guys dive into the wild world of pre-internet urban legends—the rumors, myths, and straight-up lies that somehow spread across the country with zero proof and 100% confidence.    From Marilyn Manson being that kid from The Wonder Years, to Pop Rocks and Coke “killing you,” to every town having a Crybaby Bridge, we break down the stories we all heard growing up—and why we believed every single one of them.   We also get into: The Satanic Panic and the stuff people thought was “evil” The rumor that Procter & Gamble was secretly sinister Small-town legends like hitman capital of the world And the weird ways these stories spread before the internet even existed   If you grew up in the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s, there’s a very good chance you believed at least one of these… and probably repeated it like it was fact. Subscribe for more episodes of Hoot’n & Holler’n every week.

What is the greatest movie ever shown on cable TV?   In this episode of Hoot’n & Holler’n, we build the Ultimate Cable TV Movie Bracket to settle one of the most important debates in television history: which movie dominated basic cable for decades?   From action classics to endlessly replayed comedies, we debate and rank the movies that basically lived on TBS, TNT, USA, and FX. The bracket includes cable staples like The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, The Fugitive, Die Hard, Armageddon, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Speed, Twister, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tombstone, A Few Good Men, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, Air Force One, Remember the Titans, Rudy, Dumb and Dumber, and more.   Some of these movies are genuine all-time classics. Some of them just felt like classics because cable TV played them 4,000 times a year.   Along the way we ask the important questions: Which movie actually deserves the title of Greatest Cable Movie Ever? Which one only seemed bigger because we saw it every Saturday afternoon? And which cable TV legend gets knocked out way too early?

In this episode of Hoot’n and Holler’n, the guys dive headfirst into one of the greatest cinematic debates of our lifetime: what actually counts as the greatest comedy movie ever made?   From Anchorman and Superbad to Borat, Step Brothers, and a few deep cuts you may not have thought about in years, we look back at the era when comedy movies dominated theaters and every line instantly became quotable.   Along the way we talk about the movies that shaped our sense of humor, the comedies we definitely weren’t supposed to be watching growing up, and why it feels like Hollywood just doesn’t make comedies like this anymore.   Plus: • The first comedy movie we ever got in trouble for watching • The movies our dads quoted nonstop • The comedy everyone else loves that we absolutely cannot stand   If you’ve ever quoted Napolean Dynamite, argued about Will Ferrell’s best movie, or wondered where all the great comedy movies went… this one’s for you.

This week on Hoot'n & Holler'n we're reaching back to the not-so-distant past to a time when riding in the back of a truck, wandering the woods all day, buying cigs for your parents at the gas station, and drinking straight from the hose felt completely normal… and somehow nobody called the authorities. The guys swap stories about growing up in an era where the main safety plan was “try not to die,” from sketchy rides and small-town gas station runs to the pre-cell-phone problem solving that built a little character (and probably a few bad habits). If you ever got told to go outside and not come back till dark, this one’s for you. Pull up a chair and come laugh with us about the stuff that definitely wouldn’t be allowed today.

What happened to Happy Meal toys… and why did they used to be so much better? In this episode of Hoot’n and Holler’n, we’re heading back to the golden age of McDonald’s — when PlayPlaces ruled, Boo Buckets were a necessity, and the toy inside the box was engineered like a NASA space shuttle. We dive into the surprising history behind the 90s Happy Meal “arms race,” when competing designers were trying to outdo each other with wind-up cars, transforming food robots, licensed movie tie-ins, and toys that somehow lasted longer than most household appliances. Along the way we talk McNugget Buddies, Power Rangers, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario Bros, Disney classics, Beanie Baby chaos, and the weird corporate decisions that changed kids’ meals forever. Plus: childhood memories, thrift store toy bins, fast food nostalgia, and the realization that today’s toys just don’t hit the same. If you grew up begging for a Happy Meal — or just miss when fast food felt a little more magical — this one’s for you. Grab some fries and come holler with us. © Ostrich Media, LLC 2026

This week on Hoot’n & Holler’n, we dig into the wonderfully awkward world of childhood Valentine’s Day to discuss the era of Big B valentine's, pocket chocolates, and stuffing handwritten love notes in your underwear. From elementary school crushes to the bizarre unspoken rules of classroom Valentine exchanges, we revisit the stories that somehow still live rent-free in our heads. It’s a nostalgic, slightly unhinged trip back to a time when romance meant candy hearts, folded paper notes, and the courage to put your feelings in writing and then have your friend throw that letter away. We swap embarrassing memories, laugh at how strange those rituals really were, and try to figure out what made kid Valentine’s Day so memorable in the first place. If you’ve ever carried melting chocolate in your pocket or overthought a Valentine card like it was a life decision, this episode’s for you.   © 2026 Ostrich Media LLC. All rights reserved.

🎮 Sleepover, Part 2 — The Video Game Years In Part 2 of our Sleepover series, we go full couch-co-op nostalgia and relive the golden age of growing up with a controller in your hand and a CRT TV buzzing in the corner. From split-screen GoldenEye chaos and screen-watching accusations to all-night seasons of NCAA Football, Tecmo Bowl, and Super Smash Bros, this episode is a love letter to when video games were something you did together. We swap stories about sleepovers that lasted until daylight, tournaments decided by broken controllers, and the unspoken rules that kept friendships intact (no Oddjob, no Kansas State, and absolutely no mercy). The conversation runs through iconic titles like Mortal Kombat, Blitz, Mario Party, Halo, GTA, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and the magical chaos of the Nintendo Wii era when everyone suddenly became an athlete in their living room. We also talk about how gaming slowly shifted from four people on one couch to everyone on their own screen, and why those old-school sleepover vibes can never quite be replicated. Add in stories about LAN parties in college dorms, cheat codes, memory cards, burned-in plasma TVs, and the weird social rules of multiplayer trash talk, and you’ve got an episode that hits right in the childhood. If you ever stayed up way too late chasing one more win, this one’s for you.

Sleepovers (or "Spend the Night" Parties) were a childhood rite of passage, and in this episode of Hoot’n and Holler’n, the guys look back on why they were either the best nights of your life or absolute disasters you still think about years later.   Hosts Matt Mitchell (SEC Roll Call, Bless Your Rank, It’s a Southern Thing), Eric Nix, Joey Prestley, and Drake Pittman share stories from the golden age of sleepovers. From planning them weeks ahead of time and learning the hard rule of never falling asleep first, to getting stuck at the wrong house with no TV, strict grandparents, cigarette smoke in the living room, and parents who shut everything down way too early. Things escalate quickly with failed boy band ideas, video game fights, trampoline wrestling, dads who played football like it was full contact, and one legendary taco-night emergency that marked the end of childhood for everyone involved.   It’s a funny, nostalgic conversation about growing up Southern, figuring out friendships, and knowing exactly when it’s time to call your mom and ask her to come get you.   © 2026 Ostrich Media LLC

This week on Hootn and Hollern, the guys kick things off with a serious journalistic investigation into Taco Bell’s ever-rotating menu and whether a quesadilla can, in fact, ruin a man’s afternoon. From there, things spiral—naturally—into a deep dive on early MTV, including a genuinely surprising revelation about which artist absolutely monopolized the network in its infancy (spoiler: it’s way more Rod Stewart than anyone asked for). Along the way, the crew debates music video overexposure, remembers the lawless early days of MTV programming, and takes a hard left turn into TRL lore, questionable acronyms, and the physical toll hunger takes on a grown man who just wants a hot dog. There’s nostalgia, mild outrage, and the kind of arguments that only happen when everyone is technically right and still wrong. As always, the episode is held together by friendship, bad transitions, and the shared understanding that none of this needed to be researched—but all of it needed to be said.

In this episode of Hootin’ & Hollerin’, the guys take trip back to the era when MTV stopped playing music videos and started changing television forever. They break down how The Real World laid the foundation for modern reality TV, from its awkward early production missteps to the shockingly low pay for cast members who unknowingly became cultural guinea pigs  .   From there, the conversation spirals into MTV’s dating show golden age. The crew revisits Singled Out, Next, and especially Room Raiders, uncovering behind-the-scenes stories involving fake abductions, blacklights, confiscated weapons, angry parents, and one extremely missed opportunity involving a pet bobcat. Along the way, they connect the dots between reality TV, early internet culture, celebrity side quests, and how a single Super Bowl halftime show quietly killed the most horrifying prop in MTV history.   It’s a funny, chaotic, and surprisingly informative look at how reality TV grew up in public—and why none of us were ready for it.

In this episode of Hootin’ & Hollerin’, the guys take a nostalgic (and mildly traumatic) stroll through the early days of the internet—back when dial-up screamed like a wounded robot, pop-ups promised free cruises, and nobody trusted putting a credit card online.   From first memories of logging on, AOL screen names, and getting kicked offline by an aunt who just had to make a phone call, to the Wild West era of search engines (Ask Jeeves, AltaVista, Lycos… gone but not forgotten), the conversation hits all the hits—and the misses. They swap stories about early online scams, wrestling spoilers, sketchy sweepstakes, GeoCities pages, Angelfire websites, and the absolute fear of “breaking the computer.”   The episode also drifts into how the internet evolved from a mysterious encyclopedia into something we now can’t live without—touching on early online shopping, PayPal, eBay, the death of landlines, and how today’s kids casually “search it up” like that’s always been a thing. It all wraps with some modern perspective on AI, ChatGPT, and whether today’s tech feels a lot like the internet did back then… just faster and with higher stakes.   Equal parts funny, relatable, and “oh no, I remember that,” this one’s for anyone who ever waited five minutes to connect just to check one email—then got booted offline immediately.

Scattered & Covered (From the Vault)   We took the week between Christmas and New Year’s off… but we didn’t leave you hanging.   Before Hootin’ & Hollerin’ was Hootin’ & Hollerin’, Matt and Eric had a very ambitious idea: set up podcast equipment in random places across the South and interview whoever was brave (or bored) enough to sit down. That concept was called Scattered & Covered.   This episode is the first and last time we ever tried it.   Recorded three years ago inside Sherry’s One Stop — a true Southern multitasker of a gas station featuring tanning beds, pizza, former VHS rentals, and possibly active warrants for unreturned movies — this lost episode captures two guys slowly realizing that no one wants to be interviewed for a Honey Bun.   What you’ll hear instead: • Peak gas-station philosophy • Deep dives into Hunt Brothers pizza etiquette • Stories about stolen cheese, stolen clothes, and stolen VHS tapes • A surprise appearance from the man who actually runs the place • The sound of a podcast discovering, in real time, why it shouldn’t exist   Enjoy this unearthed relic from the H&H archives — proof that every good idea deserves one honest attempt… and a quiet burial.

The gang reviews Matt's list of 11 things he'd like to leave behind in 2025, ranging from Katy Perry to Labubus to a pair of numbers we dare not say out loud. 

In this episode of Hoot'n & Holler'n, the guys take a deep dive into the very specific types of people you’ll find in every small Southern town. If you’ve ever lived near one gas station, you already know exactly who we’re talking about. From the mechanic everybody trusts (but who might keep your truck for two years), to the gas station regulars who know more local gossip than the newspaper, to porch-sitters who double as landmarks, we’re naming characters you’ve definitely met. Along the way, we argue about bagels, Conecuh sausage, questionable fuel quality, horse guys, gas station etiquette, and the unspoken rules of small-town life. It’s nostalgic, unfiltered, and aggressively familiar—in the best way possible.

The boys kick off a chaotic Christmas episode by debating decorations, dodging imaginary squirrels in the studio, and reminiscing about the chaotic Rankin & Bass classics that shaped their childhoods. From beloved VHS tapes and questionable 80s choir memories to heated takes on Christmas music—Mariah Carey, Sinatra, Elvis, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and the tragic saga of “Christmas Shoes”—no seasonal soundtrack is safe. Then the nostalgia train really leaves the station as everyone shares childhood Christmas stories: begging adults to hurry up and open presents, sneaking peeks at gifts, getting tricked by parents, and receiving some truly wild gifts (including a framed chicken photo and silky “banana hammock” underwear). The crew also laments the decline of old-school Christmas light displays and lovingly roasts today’s LED-synced neighborhood décor. Check out our merch: https://www.hootnandhollern.com/

This week on Hoot’n and Holler’n, the crew takes a nostalgic stroll through the golden age of malls when KB Toys was king, Sears still mattered, and the smell of popcorn from The Peanut Shack basically was cologne. From abandoned anchor stores to stolen wallets at JCPenney, Toys “R” Us bankruptcy gossip, the death of fountains and wishing wells, and the true chaos of Costco on a Saturday—this episode hits everything from childhood wonder to adult irritation. Along the way, we spiral into hot dogs, Kirkland beer, mall zombies, body shop outfits, and a revelation that Joey was clearly born to be the size-appropriate horror-movie villain.

In this episode, we’re joined by Alabama comedy legend Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson—creator of the long-running “how Bama fans watch” videos and one of the sharpest, funniest voices in Southern football culture. We talk about rivalry week energy, which fanbases crave his respect the loudest, why Tennessee may secretly lead the nation in trash talk, and how the chaos of college football fuels what we do. FunnyMaine also shares stories of meeting Coach DeBoer, hanging out with RollTideWillie, being embraced by players and fans across the SEC, and how his content has grown over more than a decade of Saturdays. Whether you’re SEC-obsessed, comedy-obsessed, or just love hearing two Southern creators talk shop, this one hits. Check out FunnyMaine: funnymaine.com His merch: rundaball.com Our merch & Southern-made goods: gettinplaceshop.com

Comedian Dusty Slay joins Hoot’n and Holler’n for an hour of Southern storytelling, comedy wisdom, and pure chaos in the best way. Dusty walks us through his wild late-night TV experiences, growing up in an Alabama trailer park, and why breaking down country songs has become one of his most beloved bits. We dig into hecklers, crowd work, touring the South, Travis Tritt conspiracy theories, and Dusty’s dream of doing a full two-hour, no-opener stand-up show like an old-school legend. If you love Southern humor, country-music deep dives, and behind-the-scenes comedy talk, this episode delivers big laughs and even bigger stories.