That Happens

Comedian, writer and talk show host Mary Houlihan is back! Mary shares insights from cosmetology school, explains why Tim Dillon might actually be more helpful than your favorite Hollywood liberal who posts trans flags but won't sign anything, and makes a compelling case for why shame-based persuasion is about as effective as a car in an oubliette. The conversation meanders through topics like why famous people are weirdly silent about genocide, how fighting with people online is basically the political equivalent of stress-eating cheeseburgers, and why more leftists should steal Joe Rogan's audience instead of just complaining about him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer's car got broken into, he's unsure if he's accidentally racist, then nearly killed an elderly jaywalker, realizes he's midway through a slow flanderization into a caricature of himself, and ate some restaurant food that tastes like bleach. We also touch on why there's a healing fantasy about strong man politicians, parental wounds being capitalist tools, and how Magic: The Gathering's stack system works. Also, we're on YouTube now. https://www.youtube.com/@ThatHappensPod/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we invite filmmaker and Channel 101 show runner Sevan Najarian, to talk his new film "Mars" by The Whitest Kids U' Know. He goes pretty deep into the internals of producing a movie with a lot of challenges, breaking his back during a wedding proposal, managing 20 employees working out of his house, and why every video editor is secretly obsessed with making broth. There's also an extended detour into the ethics of using AI to resurrect the voice of a cast member who died during post-production, the cult-like aspects of growing up in a religion that forbids philosophy classes, and why holding your breath during podcast intros is actually very bad for your kidneys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen broadcasts live from a stadium dumpster and becomes a white mage of Tinactin and banana peels. We try to figure out what makes sense of the recent Epstein files drama, the government's bold strategy of just lying about everything, make some predictions that are sure not to age poorly, and try to figure out why we both have had bad experiences with smoked Gouda cheese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the Spleen attempts to cover the Grammys from an increasingly questionable "red carpet". Between intense discussions about yakasoba bread (yes, it's noodles in a sandwich with pickled ginger, yes it's amazing), we somehow stumble into surprisingly coherent discussions about: the lack of imagination in conservative thinking, why every accusation really is a confession, the absolutely wild Epstein files, ICE raids in LA, and whether small business tax fraud is morally different from billionaire tax fraud (spoiler: it's not). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin and Spencer talk Pluribus, then detour off to rant about technical nuances of television production and why you can't see or hear anything in TV shows anymore. Spencer discovers he can zoom on Zoom, much to our delight. Somehow we end up on thoughts on self-esteem versus collective purpose, the importance of doing something even when you can't do everything, and why baking cookies for your neighbors counts as praxis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Eli Yudin joins the show for what starts as a chat about animation and art school but quickly spirals into deep discussion on why everything is broken. We cover the important stuff: why old Newgrounds animations slapped, whether musical comedy is real comedy, the insane labor practices destroying creative industries, why growth-obsessed capitalism is a death cult, and most crucially, the correct Elden Ring build. Eli shares stories about his comedy special "Humble Offering," explains why he now reads weird little tales instead of doing traditional standup, and reveals his shameful addiction to Escape from Tarkov despite the game being held together with duct tape and broken quests. There's also a detour into how National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation proves that workers have lost all their power, a passionate defense of Tom and Jerry's artistic merit, and Spencer admitting he beat Dark Souls III by just punching everything to death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We look back at our predictions we made at the start of last year, along with current events... in horror. Spencer's distraught at the rise of fascism and the failure of our government in its most fundamental values. Kevin lists of all the ways we've squandered a few centuries of good will and soft power. Is the first domino about to fall, or are we about to reboot as America 2.0? Spencer tries to look back at his 2025 tarot readings and do a new one for 2026. Are we headed towards more petulance and opposition, or is the answer some creative teamwork? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Spencer and Abed for a rainy drive-turned-adventure. With Kevin mysteriously absent (where IS he?), the duo navigates rain-soaked LA streets while tackling the hard-hitting questions: What even IS the breakfast question? Why is Abed's favorite actress someone he's never actually watched? Can you really cook a $200 Wagyu steak in a wok? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer is a guest on Abed Hour, the semi regular chaos talk show on Schrab Home Video hosted by The Abed. Check out Schrab Home Video Sunday nights at schrabhomevideo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer and Kevin reflect on 2025's cascade of failures while attempting to maintain the festive spirit through sheer force of will and a few more questionable beverage choices to round out the year. We look back and try to decide if Spencer's screaming cowboy video was the series' creative peak, and try to determine if rebirth is possible with out having death first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer's comes up with a plan to relaunch the Sizzler chain of restaurants as Steakler that might have more merit than you think, before he stumbles on the realization that thoughts are just "some guy being like, look at this!" which is probably the most accurate description of Buddhist philosophy you'll hear today. AI VTubers are probably good, but Pluribus hive mind collectives are probably bad? Help us get to the bottom of this, and help us help you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer is Santa and campaigns on Medicare for pets. We expose Spencer's groundbreaking theory that America is just a runaway MLM scheme, an idea for a box within a box producing exponential rarity, Kevin's obsession with Alan Watts, and a crazy pitch for "The Roommate from Hell". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer and Jeff Eckman hit the road in search of Truth, Justice, and the American Way. This is an audio only episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer soothes a rough patch in his life with some apple pie mac & cheese and Cheez-It inspired pizza, after skillfully avoiding a bear attack. We debate the pizza, but Kevin later reveals he'd probably sell his soul for Cheez-Its. Spencer's life might be foretold by horoscopes, which hopefully aren't affected by us not even noticing Daylight Savings Time anymore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer enumerates every possible bucket we've explored and then looks for some new ones, including the fabled Adventurtunity Rantidew Mountifesto that may or may not have happened. We touch on a surreal encounter with a museum docent who really wanted to show us a toilet that may or may not exist, a Harmontown recap spinoff, and giving thanks to those who deserve it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Schrab sits with Spencer to talk about writing and directing for things like Rick & Morty and Community, and opens up about his fears about being a "90-percenter", burnout, and the eternal question of whether to keep grinding or just accept that maybe you've done enough cool stuff for one lifetime. Spencer fires back with some ideas about lightning, eggs and the weird Silent Hill 2 ending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abed gets Bauhaus Blasted before we go into a deep therapy session about our failed attempts to make pizza (it's Tiktok's fault), then consume some manly chocolate while debating the Lost, Six Feet Under and Dead Like Me shared cinematic universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now That’s What I Call Happens! Volume 8! The Spleen sold all of our microphones, so enjoy this rehash of old bits from That Happens! It’ll have you saying "Now That’s What I Call Happens!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we try to figure out why Joe Rogan is the way that he is, why Spider-Man is making Magic: The Gathering players angry, what carbonated breakfast cereal tastes like, if Spencer's game show pitch "Reverse Jeopardy" works, and why the last episode got a huge surge in listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices