That Sounds Like A Lot with Matt Buechele

Matt Buechele talks about volunteering with Bright Light in New York City, and how showing up for your community can be a welcome antidote to the news. Then Matt sits down with comedian, author, and podcaster Kyle Prue to talk about his podcast Get Worse, cancel culture, political polarization, and his viral How to Piss Off Men videos. They also discuss male loneliness, the manosphere, and why people should be given room to change. Plus, Kyle reflects on writing his fantasy trilogy as a teenager, his upcoming book How to Get Worse: A Guide to Better Living Through Bad Behavior, and how he stays hopeful in an increasingly angry online world. Then they make predictions about Elizabeth Holmes’ post-prison reality TV prospects, a politician’s next career move, and which social media platform will survive the next decade. Chapters: 00:00:00 Comedian Kyle Prue and the chaotic creative world of his podcast 00:04:14 Negative comments, internet trolls, and the realities of comedy 00:09:39 Public executions, modern outrage, and the evolution of cancel culture 00:13:00 Political polarization, midterms anxiety, and shifting economic realities 00:18:03 Naples retirement culture, alt-right grocery stores, and political fatigue 00:23:44 Existential doom, algorithm anxiety, and material reality 00:30:13 Writing a fantasy trilogy as a teenager and transitioning to non-fiction 00:37:37 The male loneliness epidemic, fragile egos, and dating in Los Angeles 00:44:07 Escaping online addiction and finding healthier social media habits 00:49:18 Internet manosphere pipelines, and redemption arcs 00:54:14 Rejecting reality TV casting offers and avoiding absurd media stunts 00:57:04 Digital platforms, political theater, and promoting new books Topics: UMich theater and the reality of acting careers Algorithms deliberately monetizing user anxiety and doom Steve Jobs' and pro-anoia and grounding in material reality Writing  a fantasy series at age seventeen Deconstructing male loneliness and de-radicalization Viral satire videos and writing his new book How to Get Worse Why average dudes are winning at modern dating Visiting an alt-right grocery store in Naples, Florida Rejecting a Love Island US casting offer  Elizabeth Holmes, party switching, and future social apps FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele revisits a lesson from his dad about showing up for other people, courtesy of a trip to see Billy Crystal’s one-man Broadway show, 860. Then Matt sits down with Jeopardy! legend Amy Schneider, who rattled off 40 consecutive wins before taking home the 2022 Tournament of Champions title. Amy talks about her theater-kid beginnings, the years she spent trying to get on Jeopardy!, and the strange mental marathon of filming five games in a single day. They get into the surreal experience of becoming a household name, what it meant to be a trans woman on one of America's most beloved television shows, and the unexpected messages from families whose minds she helped change. Plus, Matt and Amy predict the future of unnecessary reboots, Elizabeth Holmes' chances at a presidential pardon, and whether AI might finally be the one contestant Jeopardy! can't beat. Chapters: 00:00:00 Amy Schneider and her historic forty-game jeopardy streak 00:04:19 Childhood theater, Shakespeare, and performing in backyard plays 00:09:20 New York theater and looking back at acting aspirations 00:13:28 Late adult ADHD diagnosis, medication, and mental clarity 00:18:03 COVID delays, audition stories, and show preparation 00:22:41 Intense pressure of five daily tapings and high-stress gameplay 00:27:07 Trivia strategies, conservative daily double wagers, and math systems 00:33:04 Leaving a twenty-year career as a manager in Bay area tech 00:36:26 Trans community, national exposure, and meaningful fan stories 00:41:50 Cultural progress, social media habits, and advice for trans youth 00:45:40 Predictions about pop culture reboots and celebrity pardons 00:51:00 Future of jeopardy in the age of AI and promoting her book Topics: Amy Schneider's historic forty-game win streak on Jeopardy 10 years of auditions before making the game show stage Late adult ADHD diagnosis and peak brain performance Buzzer timing at home and mental strategies for taping days California taxes on a $1.3M lump sum payout Leaving a twenty-year tech career in corporate tech Impact of trans representation on heritage television Shakespeare and stand-up comedy built memory and storytelling skills Community and peace of mind in WNBA women's basketball fandom FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt kicks things off with his take on Shane Gillis’s SNL monologue, the state of comedy, and his growing suspicion that America has developed a soft spot for mediocrity. Then acclaimed novelist Catherine Lacey joins the show for a conversation about the strange power of fiction, adapting her novel Pew into an opera, and her adventures writing a comedy film. Catherine reflects on turning 40, her writing process and what keeps her coming back to the page. Plus, ghostly encounters in Mexico, her favorite books and why she hopes the Southern accent never disappears. Chapters: 00:00:00 Shane Gillis monologue and modern comedy mediocrity 00:04:12 Catherine Lacey and reading the New Yorker fiction podcast 00:08:18 Book promotion, writing as a job, and stage anxiety 00:12:30 Airplane hijackings and writing a novel about real crime 00:16:30 Tupelo upbringing, religious kid, and early writing ideas 00:20:45 Shakespeare camp, boarding school, and granddad's savings 00:25:30 Religion in fiction and adapting Pew into an opera 00:30:45 Writing plays, a new novel, and pivoting to comedy 00:35:10 Grad school workshop memories with top journalists 00:39:45 Personal exposure in novels and bad TV interviews 00:44:15 Learning Spanish, crying in class, and the limits of foreign humor 00:48:15 The power of fiction and foreign author recommendations 00:53:10 Political splits, ghosts in Oaxaca, and southern accents  Topics: Hermit crab writing process and novel drafting isolation Book tour burnout versus working commercial kitchen shifts Childhood evangelical upbringing in Tupelo Mississippi Shakespeare camp experience with teacher Shaq Van Duzen Hardware store savings funding boarding school education Historical perspective on 1970s Mexican plane hijackings Adapting the novel Pew into a French opera libretto Co-writing a feature comedy screenplay in Mexico City Unlearning New York stress and turning 40 in Mexico Why life is not personal, philosophy in literary fiction FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt danced all night seeing the band Geese at Forest Hills Stadium and shares that getting out, dancing, and sweating alongside other people can be a great antidote to feeling down. Then Matt sits with Scott Rogowsky to revisit the rise and fall of HQ Trivia, the viral moments, what derailed the company, and why Scott is betting his own money on a new live gaming app, Savvy. Plus, they debate whether Phish will ever play the Super Bowl halftime show, who will be the last late-night host standing, and whether the Mets will ever win another World Series. Chapters: 00:00:00 Scott Rogowsky, custom suits, sports card relics, and comedy 00:04:42 Live late-night talk shows to viral internet video formats 00:09:12 Traditional stand-up comedy led to creative freedom 00:13:38 Perfectionism, workaholism, and high-pressure creative careers 00:18:02 Trading cards at Topps to a path in entertainment 00:22:20 Imposter syndrome and making sense of modern digital trends 00:26:48 Rise, cultural phenomenon, and scale of HQ Trivia 00:31:02 BTS chaos, missed career moves, and corporate dysfunction 00:35:30 Trying to save a sinking ship and the birth of the new Savvy app 00:39:58 Nostalgic broadcast history and building a live interactive network 00:41:35 Predictions on the Super Bowl, Phish, late-night television, and the Mets 00:45:00 Live musical interludes, and thoughts on inner peace    Topics: The rise, viral peak, and chaotic collapse of HQ Trivia Self-funding Savvy, a new live interactive game show app Imposter syndrome and the internal conflict of viral success Going on a seven-day phone-free digital detox at the Hoffman Process Quitting stand-up comedy due to OCD and ADHD to pursue live hosting Perfectionism, catastrophizing, and midlife epiphanies Preserving energy, escaping political outrage, letting go FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE  ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele reflects on the state of American politics, the temptation to give in to doom and gloom, and why he still feels hopeful about the future. Then Matt sits down with Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, the youngest woman serving in Congress. She talks about her Iranian-American family, her work at the United Nations, and the war in Iran. They discuss sanctions and internet access for Iranians, the fight to regulate AI, and the growing backlash against data centers. Yassamin also explains why she thinks Americans need to get more involved in peaceful protest, what Democrats could do if they win the House in the midterms, and why election integrity matters. Plus, Matt and Yassamin make predictions about which pop star might run for Congress, the next big bachelor party destination, and whether Taylor Swift will win an Oscar before Tom Cruise. Chapters: 00:00:00 Rep. Yassamin Ansari on youth in politics and serving in DC 00:04:48 Flight anxiety, Global Citizen Festival trauma, and congressional voting 00:09:02 Iranian heritage, parents fleeing revolution, and American democracy 00:13:31 War with Iran, foreign policy decisions, and military intelligence 00:18:02 Impact of sanctions, internet access, and target limitations 00:22:39 Epstein files, White House situation room, and government oversight 00:27:06 Congressional accountability, subpoena power, and holding leaders responsible 00:31:31 AI risks, data centers, and global technology regulation 00:36:08 Public activism, city council pushback, and fighting voter apathy 00:40:48 Midterm election strategy, election integrity, and youth voter turnout 00:45:04 Unwinding from DC politics, book recommendations, and daily schedule 00:49:49 Scottsdale nightlife, pop culture predictions, and Taylor Swift tour  Topics: Serving as the youngest woman in Congress at age 34. Political career as an Iranian-American Democrat. Mother fleeing the 1979 Iranian revolution. Fragility of civil rights and American democracy. US foreign policy, sanctions, and military action in Iran. White House transparency regarding intelligence and foreign conflicts. Government accountability and the Epstein files cover-up. Existential risks of unregulated artificial intelligence. Local environmental impacts of AI data centers on water and power. Youth political activation and grassroots protest movements. FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot.  FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices