The Focus Group

Mobile phone carriers, holiday traditions, and consumer activism are on the agenda. First, a look at the Swedish Christmas tradition of Kalle Anka, a beloved Disney special. Then the story of a hiker who was frozen in ice for 30 years. Mary Barra, the first female CEO of General Motors, is the Business Birthday. Shop Talk concludes with a discussion on boycotting ant-DEI brands during the holiday season. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John discuss a variety of topics including holiday preparations, the magic of the Rockettes, highlights from SNL, LGBTQ representation in Florida, the Abercrombie and Fitch scandal, and the rise of “Mormon” dirty soda as a popular beverage. They also share personal anecdotes and reflections on the holiday season, concluding with a nod to their partnership with Critics’ Choice Video. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shop Talk explores nostalgic themes surrounding defunct retail brands. But first, innovative toilet technology from Japan and the first photo booth museum in NYC Caught Our Eye. Kenneth Frazier, former CEO of Merck and the first African American to lead a major American Pharma Co., is the Business Birthday. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, the topics range from winter weather and AI scams, to parenting in the digital age and the Trump administration’s stance on sign language services. They also highlight Taylor Swift’s generosity towards her tour staff, showcasing her appreciation for those who contributed to her success. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shop Talk dives into a study showing that somewhere between 73 and 76, our bodies officially hit the “bounce-back” breaking point. Caught My Eye unwraps VP Vance’s Hanukkah-invite-meets-Christmas card mashup, plus the wild personal life of Frosty the Snowman’s own Jackie Vernon—multiple marriages and a quaalude habit. Our Business Birthday toasts Johann Maria Farina, the mind (and nose) behind Eau de Cologne. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2025’s America, Trump’s birthday is now a free-entry day at national parks, while MLK Day and Juneteenth get the boot. Over at the Kennedy Center Honors, that iconic rainbow ribbon is out, and a navy-blue “rebrand” is in. Finally, a new study says 1 in 5 adults hasn’t had sex in a year. Stress? Solitude? The price of everything? You decide. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Shop Talk looks at a McKinsey Study results about the impact of AI on the workforce and the skills needed to thrive in an evolving job market. Caught My Eye highlights a young innovator’s origami project that could revolutionize emergency shelters, and a humorous story about a couple who accidentally purchased a dirt alley instead of a house. Craig Newmark, founder of Craig’s List, is the Business Birthday. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tackled on this week’s show. ‘Phillumenism,’ the declining perception of the value of a college degree, a political candidate’s creative response to an anti-LGBTQ survey, and the nostalgic return of matchbooks as collectible items. (Phillumeny is the practice of collecting matchbooks.) Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The John approved Dash Egg Cooker from last week’s show had several listeners report back that they bought one—plus, two of them know Gilded Age star Claybourne Elder. In Caught My Eye: frozen popcorn becomes a thing, and a $9.2 million Superman comic turns up in an attic. We celebrate Facebook’s Chris Hughes for the Business Birthday, and in Shop Talk, Warren Buffett reminds us to manage regret—and maybe draft the obituary we want. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John spotlight a GoFundMe created to support the beloved Oscar’s in Palm Springs. Then, two Texas would-be warlords hatch a delusional plan to “invade” a Haitian island of nearly 90,000 residents—complete with vile fantasies straight out of a bad movie script. And finally, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveils a slate of new military operation names that, frankly, sound a lot more like titles from a gay adult film catalog than official Pentagon campaigns. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on The Focus Group, John discovers the Dash Egg Cooker thanks to actor Claybourne Elder of HBO’s The Gilded Age, and Tim reassures us that the penny isn’t going anywhere—there are 300 billion of them still in circulation. The Business Birthday honors Sylvan Goldman, inventor of the shopping cart, and in Shop Talk, the guys share simple tactics to cut filler words. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Tim and John tackle everything from premature Christmas décor to the politics of holiday gifting and community support. They break down a disturbing act of anti-gay vandalism, call out boneheaded decisions like hurling frozen water balloons at cars, and question the price tag of renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How To Know to Say No at Work Tim and John explore the theme of people pleasing in the workplace, discussing the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say no. Caught My Eye recommends a December NYC subway ride on the Nostalgia Train and details the frenzy surrounding Starbucks’ limited edition Bearista cups. DeWitt Wallace, co-founder of Reader’s Digest, is the Business Birthday. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John serve up a full plate: from Thanksgiving chaos and the rising cost of, well, life itself—to Miss Mexico’s Miss Universe drama, an in-flight fiasco on Delta, and Carol Burnett’s heartwarming gift to UCLA. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John get creative with bestselling author Aurora Winter, whose insights on storytelling inspire a lively conversation. Mentalist Oz Perlman also catches their attention as a future guest wish. In Caught My Eye, a dad raids his kid’s savings for vacation cash, and the national penny shortage starts hitting home. The Business Birthday honors design legend Raymond Loewy. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John go from Halloween tricks to political treats. Reddit’s co-founder makes a bold move, the Democrats need a rebrand, and the latest Kardashian product you didn’t know you needed (or wanted). Smart talk, sharp laughs. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s a packed show: Halloween memories, Benjamin Franklin’s time-traveling will, the rise and crumble of Howard Johnson’s, and the world’s best places to retire. Plus, meet LoveSac founder Shawn Nelson in our Business Birthday. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John discuss Halloween preparations, and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s "outraged" remarks about an episode of the children’s show "Strawberry Shortcake." Then the talk turns to retail changes, specifically outdoor outfitter Orvis and their decision to close stores. Lastly, an AI security system mistakes a bag of Doritos for a gun, resulting in a young boy being handcuffed by police. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim and John welcome screenwriter Josh Olson, who discusses his journey in adapting the graphic novel “A History of Violence” into a critically acclaimed film. (Now available from the Criterion Collection at Deep Discount.) Caught My Eye reveals that rocker Rod Stewart is a model train aficionado, and the one and only Hair Museum has closed in Missouri. Our business birthday celebrates that famed Italian American Ettore Boiardi or as we all know him: Chef Boyardee. We’re all business. Except when we’re not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of TFG Unbuttoned, John and Tim banter about “holding music,” the current political climate, and Halloween. Chocolate costs too much! Also, the US government wants to restrict flights from China that fly over Russia to get here. Russia has restricted US airlines from flying over its airspace to get to China creating longer trips and costs for US carriers versus their Chinese competitors. MTV is ridding itself of music after four decades and Halloween is not immune from the Trump Tariffs. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.