How Did We Get Weird with Vanessa Bayer and Jonah Bayer

This week on the podcast, Vanessa and Jonah are joined by old friend and Rise Against guitarist Zach Blair! We discuss the times we almost all hung out together at South By Southwest, Zach's experience playing guitar (and dressing up) in GWAR and his short-lived stint working in construction prior to playing arenas. We also get deep into Zach's relationship with his brother Doni and what it was like playing together in Hagfish and Only Crime. Did you also know that they were interviewed by our cousin Riki Rachtman for "Loveline" back in the day? Somehow we didn't either. Finally we play a game of LEGIT MOAN OR UNNECESSARY GROAN where we discuss skate park etiquette, "educating yourself" during an intramural soccer game and the dubious ethics of restaurant advertising. Don't forget to check out Rise Against this spring alongside Papa Roach on the "Rise Of The Roach" Tour. Trust us, seeing Rise Against live is anything but a last resort! 

This week Vanessa and Jonah are thrilled to welcome the hilarious and wildly talented Ed Helms to the podcast! You may know Ed played Andy Bernard on “The Office” but did you know he grew up doing crazy stunts on BMX bikes? Or that he’s a talented banjo player?? Plus, the trio get into interesting Sundance experiences or a lack thereof, the nightmare that is being in the bathroom when you’re supposed to be on stage, and the time Ed hosted SNL while Vanessa was there. Plus, in a rousing game of LEGIT MOAN OR UNNECESSARY GROAN, they talk emergency evacuation fines, driving etiquette, and co-workers who eat onion bagels for breakfast. Be sure to listen to this episode and to check out Ed’s delightful and riveting iHeartPodcasts series SNAFU wherever you get your podcasts!

On this week's episode the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome their friend Liz Feldman! You may know that Liz from creating the hit Netflix show "Dead To Me" but did you know that her new Netflix show premiering this Thursday, "No Good Deed" is the third in her run of three-word, turn-of-phrase series'?? And speaking of TV shows, the trio get into their all-time favorite TV show theme songs and as a surprise to no one, Vanessa sings a lot of them (as does Liz. Jonah, less so.) Plus Vanessa gets into the childhood time-capsule saga that will continue to take twists and turns, we talk tiktok and it's wealth of cottage cheese-based recipes, and Jonah kills with a highly customizable parchment paper joke. You gotta listen to this fantastic episode and check out Liz's fantastic new show "No Good Deed" this Thursday, because honestly, we dig both for you.

Vanessa and Jonah are thrilled to welcome graphic artist and Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin to the podcast this week. We get nostalgic right off the bat, talking about how Jonah wrote the first ever cover story on Good Charlotte back in 2002 and the time Jonah and Billy spent together on the Vans Warped Tour back when they were very young adults! We also get into Billy's love of Silverchair, what it was like being a great artist in high school and why Billy never felt the need to prove how "punk" he was... mainly because he was busy listening to Disney soundtracks instead of D.O.A. In that spirit, we take a deep dive into Billy's obsession with "The Nightmare Before Christmas," why he decided to get the artwork from the film tattooed on his arms and what made Tim. Burton's aesthetic so memorable. (Jonah also admits walking out on the film as a teenager, which in retrospect wasn't a great move.) Finally we play a round of YESTOLGIA OR NOSTALGIA where we discuss the new Transformers film, the return of Tiny Toons Adventures and Old Bay-flavored Goldfish crackers. Make sure to visit Billy's site if you want to learn more about his art and music!

This week on the podcast, we are coming correct with musician Bishop Briggs! We discuss what it was like growing up in Hong Kong, having the legal name of Sarah McLaughlin and Bishop's adolescent obsession with emo music. We also dig into her karaoke stories, explore why "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a solid choice and discuss our shared joy that the app Shazam exists and works most of the time! Finally, we play a round of LEGIT MOAN OR UNNECESSARY GROAN where we chat about the merits of marriage counseling, customer service complaints and if doctors should be including stamped envelopes with their bills. Don't forget to check out Bishop's new album "Tell My Therapist I'm Fine" (hopefully coming to HitClips soon) and catch her on her headlining tour this March!

This week the Bayer siblings are thrilled to have their friend, hilarious actress and absolute sweetie Ayden Mayeri on the podcast! You may know Ayden from her genius portrayals of characters such as Beth Ann McGann on "I Love That For You" and Sam Judlow in "Mr. Throwback," but did you know she was in a childhood band called X-Cetera that's gaining popularity... now? Plus, after being excluded for years, Vanessa and Jonah finally have the chance to be in their high school's Hall of Fame... but will they take it? And along those lines, will Ayden ever be written up in one of her local newspapers or will they continue to snub her? Plus, we get into favorite childhood pets! Ayden talks about many of her favorites from birds to hamsters to cats, some of whom murdered each other in cold blood?! And in a rousing game of CHANGE.DORK, the trio discusses petitions for plane food insights, a Steph Curry three-dollar bill, and a keto Domino's pizza. So check out this wonderful episode: Listen to it, enjoy it, tell your friends about it, X Cetera!

This week, we could not be more thrilled to welcome our old friend Atom Willard to the podcast. You've seen Atom behind the drum kit for acts like Alkaline Trio, Against Me!, The Offspring, Social Distortion and Rocket From The Crypt, but have you heard him tell dad jokes for an hour? We didn't think so. Don't worry, we get into the early days when Atom was just a molecule and discuss playing MTV's Spring Break in 1994, how Atom's coordination skills helped in gym class and why he stopped riding motorcycles for good. We also discuss one of Atom's other passions, skateboarding, including the time that his parents built a ramp for him in his driveway. (Which is almost as cool as our parents letting Jonah fly a pirate flag in front of our house in the suburbs.) Finally we play a round of YESTALGIA OR NOSTALGIA where we discuss the return of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, The "Mikey Likes It" Life Cereal Kid and the recent Sex Pistols reunion. Plus, did Vanessa and "Weird Al" Yankovic have the same Offspring parody idea? You've got to listen to find out! 

Today on the podcast the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome their friend the wildly talented comedian and actress Punam Patel! You might know Punam as the hilarious Beena from "I Love that For You", but did you know she was very into the emo music scene growing up and has even moshed? Plus, Vanessa recants connecting with the middle school english teacher that inspired her SNL character "Mrs. Meadows" at her school's centennial celebration, and along those lines, the trio talk about how they would each behave if they were a substitute teacher in order to get respect from the students. Plus, Beena takes us through her school style journey which taught her the valuable lesson of being able to find a chic outfit at any establishment. And speaking of skills, we discuss several life hacks including Jonah's idea to add cold pasta sauce to hot noodles. Does it work? You'll have to listen to find out!! (but no, no it does not.) Check it out!

This week, the Bayer siblings are so excited to welcome actor and comedian Will Forte to the podcast. You know Will from "Saturday Night Live," "MacGruber" and "The Last Man On Earth," but did you know that he grew up eating a Sausage Cheese Zombie before early morning swim practice? On this episode we talk about Will and Vanessa almost overlapping on SNL, the current status of Battleball (aka Dodgeball) in gym class and Will's childhood hobby: Sports cards! We get deep into Will's incredibly valuable collection, why he continued to collect cards as an adult and how he's been able to use his passion to benefit charities. We also play a round of YESTOLGIA OR NOSTALGIA where we discuss the return of Sour Altoids, the "Scary Movie" franchise return—and who wouldn't want a Hot Coca-flavored Chips Ahoy! cookie? So cozy up and listen to this incredible episode! 

This week the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome their friend and shining star of shows such as “Scandal” and “Inventing Anna,” the delightful Katie Lowes! They talk about how Katie got her start (including bringing her family on set for an early stint on "The Sopranos!") and what it was like being a part of the “Scandal” TV phenomenon. Plus, did you know that Katie is a soft-pretzel heiress?? The three of us also dive into Katie's favorite movie "Dirty Dancing" and how it influenced many parts of her life, from her wedding to her relationship with her beloved Grandmother. Finally, Vanessa finds a way to connect the movie to the her favorite topic, Richard Marks and Daisy Fuentes' marriage, their plane incident and did Katie just have a real-life Daisy Fuentes encounter??? You'll have to listen to find out!

Vanessa and Jonah are back from their hiatus and we can't think of a better guest than Curb Your Enthusiasm star, Susie Essman! In this episode, we get into a real story about an encounter our parents had at their condo complex, Susie talks about how parking in NYC gives her faith in humanity and why having people fear you can be a positive thing when people compare her with her with Susie Greene. We also discuss Susie's strategy for getting out of school as a kid, her favorite shows to watch as a kid and that indefinable feeling of spending an entire day alone doing whatever you wanted. We also play a round of round of CHANGE DOT DORK where we debate the merits of a Curb Your Enthusiasm Movie, decide if the world needs gluten-free Oreos and should schools get the day off after Super Bowl... or do they have to pretend they're sick the way we did as kids? 

On today's new episode is everything zen with Jonah and Vanessa? I don't think so! That's right, the Bayer siblings are joined by the one and only Gavin Rossdale! They're talking about the early days of Gavin's band Bush, the evolution of punk music—and that time that Gavin risked his life performing live at MTV Spring Break in a rainstorm. Plus, Gavin breaks down the lyrics of "Glycerine" for Vanessa, they talk rider snacks, industry parties, and more! So breath in, breath out, and then check out this must-listen episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Check out this throwback episode with the incredibly talented Lisa Loeb! -- In this episode the Bayers welcome nineties icon and Grammy Award-winning musician Lisa Loeb! We talk (so all the time) about landline phone etiquette from growing up including prank calls and Vanessa's love for calling the numbers on catalogs with a pretend accent. We also get into Lilith Fair and guitar shredding and when Lisa toured with Sarah McLachlan. And don't worry, not only do we talk about Lisa famous cat eye glasses and her current line of glasses, but Vanessa does a deep dive into the Betsey Johnson dress Lisa wore in the "Stay" video. Dreams! You've got to listen to this episode even if you only hear what you want to!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's new episode, the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome Vanessa's best friend since childhood, Gwen! They're talking about that nostalgic time when these BFF's met, from Gwen's "Talbots Kids" patterned turtlenecks to her patiently watching as Vanessa would act out commercials in her vanity mirror. Plus, Jonah and Gwen both took ballroom dancing in sixth grade but had very different signature styles (Jonah's included a lot of hair gel.) And, hear Gwen's take on being in the female-focused gym class "Body Fitness" with Jonah, a class that Jonah is still mad he had to take. Finally, in the impressive new game "CONGRATULATIONS, YOU PLAYED EACH OTHER" Vanessa finds out how much her brother and her best friend know each other, from bands Jonah was in to modeling jobs Gwen did and more, AND Vanessa gets to talk about herself a lot in the process. This friendship-filled episode is a must listen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Check out this re-release episode with the very funny and talented Casey Wilson! -- This week the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome their friend and actress/comedian/podcaster Casey Wilson to talk about Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet"! Wow, wow and wow! Casey and Vanessa discuss how in love they were with Leo AND their desperate attempts to talk to him, both as children and adults! Plus, Jonah and Vanessa talk about meeting Claire Danes and/or Jared Leto from the spiritual companion tv show of "Romeo + Juliet" which everyone knows is "My So-Called Life"! We also dig into the iconic "Romeo +Juliet" Soundtrack- where would we all be without The Cardigans' song "Lovefool" after all??? Plus, Vanessa talks about the one time she was thrown a surprise party (spoiler alert: She did not like it!... until she saw there was a cookie cake) and in a rousing game of YES/NO-STALGIA we say no thank you to the return of platform flip-flops, and much more!! So love us, love us, say that you love us and listen to this incredible episode!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's new episode the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome New York Times bestselling author and lifestyle-experiment master, A.J. Jacobs! They're talking all about childhood Participation Trophies, from the meaningful to the demeaning. Plus, humor that upset us as kids from the Trix Rabbit not getting his Trix to the Home Alone villians getting violently pranked by Kevin McCallister. A.J. also tells us the hilarious but intense way he broke his dried mango habit! But, wait, there's more! In a rousing game of CHANGE.DORK, we're talking games with this gaming extraordinaire, from (Rubik's) cubing being taught at school to Wordle having a theme. A.J. even has a great tip for playing Connections that really foiled the game's creator. We even read a petition by A.J. that he wrote while writing his fantastic new book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally," which is out now! Be sure sure to check it out! Order "The Year Of Living Constitutionally" HERE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the Bayer siblings are thrilled to welcome comedian and fellow Clevelander, Dave Hill to the podcast! They're talking about growing up in the city that rocks, Dave rocking all the way to the stage of the Jon Stewart Show with his band Sons Of Elvis and how this catholic school kid became a force to reckon with in the world of entertainment. We also discuss formative concert experiences—including the Guns 'N Roses show Jonah and Dave both saw in 1991 and the very different takeaways they had due to their relatively minor, but at the time major differences in age. (Spoiler alert: Dave's mom didn't take him to the concert.) Plus, we potentially make some headway in the mystery of whether Jewel played at a beloved coffee shop in Cleveland? Finally, in a rousing game of CHANGE.DORK, the three of us debate the merits of Dave getting let back on Twitter, a Cleveland NHL expansion and should Jacob grow a Tony Iommi style mustache? Should Dave grow one? You'll have to listen to find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy this re-release of Sam Richardson's episode of How Did We Get Weird. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast here! -- On this week's episode the Bayers welcome the hilarious, sweet and immensely talented Sam Richardson! Listen to Sam and Vanessa reminisce on their Chicago comedy days and try their best to breakdown popular improv form The Harold. Plus, they improvise what Jonah's dream was last night! They also talk nostalgic action-packed shows from Thundercats to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and how Sam is always ready to morph into a Power Ranger the instant they need him. Whether you're on the planet Rafcon, Thundera, or Earth, this wildly funny episode is a must-listen!!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the podcast, Vanessa and Jonah are joined by hilarious comedian and new friend, Kyle Kinane. Jonah tests out some of his pun-centric stand-up material, Kyle talks about his love of horror movies and is there anything scarier than running into a sweaty guy in a mosh pit? We also get into Kyle's topic, the PBS educational show Cover to Cover and how it informed his own forays into creative expression the same way that "Kids In The Hall" informed his discovery of comedy. We also play a round of CHANGE.DORK where we debate if microwaves should have a mute button, if society should stop judging people who eat cupcakes for breakfast and the underrated benefits of vanilla frosties and cheese pizza. Don't forget to pick up Kyle's new Bobcat Goldthwait-directed stand-up hour DIRT NAP HERE. It's the dreamsicle of comedy specials! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode we're sharing Part 2 of our epic conversation with actor and musician Jason Schwartzman! We're talking about nostalgic record and prank stores, digging through our parents' basements and all the "Over the Hill" merch the Bayers' mom got for her 40th birthday. Plus, is Jason's mom the most intuitive gift giver ever? Or is he the most creative and artistic castmate ever? We also all workshop our Muppets impressions and talk about the evolution of Kermit The Frog from Muppet Babies to adulthood. Finally, in a rousing game of CHANGE.DORK, the trio debate the merits of vegan options at a prep school, moving all major holidays to Fridays and putting Animal on the cover of Modern Drummer Magazine. Trust us when we say you don't need a Staples "Easy" button to know that checking out this episode is a no-brainer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.