Welcome to Episode 168 of the What Are We Doing podcast—where chaos reigns and opinions collide! This week, we’re kicking things off with a hotly debated topic: my podcast backdrop. Yes, folks, Jeff hates it. While the rest of you showered it with love, Jeff's critique hit like a wrecking ball, making me reconsider the very fabric of my creative sanctuary. Jeff, if you're reading this, I need you to reflect on the damage you've done—emotionally and financially. And to everyone else? Find Jeff on Instagram and ask him why he hates the backdrop. (You know what to do.)

From there, we take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, mourning the end of the CW's Arrowverse. Remember when we all pretended to care about Arrow and The Flash for a few glorious seasons before collectively ghosting them? Well, it’s over now, and James Gunn is to blame. Apparently, you can’t have TV superheroes competing with their big-screen counterparts. Gunn shut it all down faster than a Twitter thread gone wrong. RIP, Arrowverse—we’ll remember you (until tomorrow).

Speaking of bizarre storylines, have you heard about the recent murder mystery in New York? A UnitedHealth CEO was assassinated outside a Hilton in what feels like a real-life Gotham plot. Silencers, cryptic shell casings, and a suspect on a bicycle—it’s giving "gritty Netflix docuseries." The reward for info? A whopping $10K. Yeah, that’ll definitely lure someone out of their PJs to chase down an armed assassin. Newsflash, NYPD: Add a few zeros if you want results.

And then we’ve got the comedy world, which—like everything else—is a circus on fire. Tony Hinchcliffe dropped his new stand-up “special” called Garbage. Spoiler alert: it lives up to its name. It’s filmed in a bizarre 4:3 format, has zero lighting or editing, and hinges on a 20-minute rant about banned words on YouTube. Tony, my dude, if this is what you’re calling comedy in 2024, we’re in trouble. Oh, and Bert Kreischer is crying about Reddit again because users are taking bets on when his lifestyle will literally take him out. Tough love, Bert, but maybe lay off the Tito’s for a bit?

Not to be outdone, Kendrick Lamar stirred the pot with a new track that apparently calls out white comedians for coming after Black women. Andrew Schultz, feeling particularly Cinderella-esque, slipped into the glass slipper of guilt and went full-on defensive. Andrew, buddy, if the shoe fits, lace it up. This drama is spiraling faster than Brendan Schaub’s Thicc Boy podcast ratings.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is stuck in its own weird timeline. Between presidential pardons, holiday chaos, and inflation making $10K feel like Monopoly money, we’re all just trying to survive. Stand-up comedians are clinging to free speech like it’s their last lifeline, while podcasters like me are here to document the absurdity of it all.

In summary: Jeff hates my backdrop, the Arrowverse is dead, CEOs are being targeted like Batman villains, comedians are losing their grip on reality, and America is one big soap opera. Welcome to Episode 168 of What Are We Doing. Buckle up—it’s a wild ride.

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