Hey Smiling Strange

Evan Cohen on Digital Art and Designing Band Posters

Evan Cohen (@evanmcohen) joins the podcast to talk about his viral artwork, creating band posters, making a living off art, and the danger  of AI slop in the artworld.  I’ve known Evan for years through a mutual friend, we met when we were in college, and I’ve been following his career ever since. It has brought me a tremendous amount of hipster joy to point to a poster of his artwork hanging at a friend’s house and I get to say “oh is that Evan Cohen? Cool guy. I knew him back in college” and then I get to be all self satisfied and arrogant for a while. It’s the best. But I am not kidding that he is a genuinely cool guy and great person, and was very happy when he agreed to be on the podcast! Music by How Strange It Is, brought to you by Klubhouse Fantasy Sports

Serial Talk: Why Am I Still Talking About Serial?

So I've been asked to make a podcast episode about the 2014 podcast Serial, that covers the case of the Murder of Hae Min Lee. To start, this isn't a podcast about who did it. Adnan did it. I'm pretty well convinced, like the jury, that there is more than reasonable evidence that it was him. Instead these podcast episodes are going to be a deep dive into Serial, and Sarah Koenig, and how the podcast itself creates doubt for the listener where there really shouldn't be any. I wanted to make the videos I made to point out that even if someone says they are objective, that they claim neutrality, their actions can still be wildly biased. And, more specifically, that if you fail to be neutral in your reporting, but claim neutrality, there should be at least some accountability. Ultimately the story of Serial is the death of a young girl. All the entertainment derived from that act still has consequences against those most hurt by this murder.  I will do an episode by episode breakdown if there's interest in it.

The Backrooms Movie with Tim Howe

Hey you guys wanted me to review and share my thoughts on the movie The Backrooms, right? You want to hear me say the word Zoomer a lot, right?  Anyway I'm joined by Tim Howe of Vista House to discuss our thoughts on The Backrooms, the sudden end of the Millenial in culture, and the fact that Tim has almost certainly been possessed by a ghost at one point in his life.  Brought to you by Klubhouse Fantasy Football, check it out at Klubhouse.fun

Tennis Courterly and DIY Sports

Scott Korb and Tyler Pell from Tennis Courterly talk about Tennis City USA, creating community through DIY sports, independent publications, and the upcoming Mt. Tabor Open. I played in the Mt. Tabor Open last year and it was a ton of fun, that's why I reached out to see if these guys wanted to come on the podcast and try to find more interested potential players. Follow @tenniscourterly on instagram for more details!

Jeff Martin of Idaho, My Most Listened to Band

This was a special one for me, as Idaho was my Most Listened to Band of 2025, and I've been a fan of Jeff's music for years. A wildly underrated band that's starting to get some of their much deserved recognition in the 2020s after forming in 1992. We talk LA, working professionally creating background music for film, and the magic of imperfect recordings. Check out Idaho where ever you get music and @idahoband on Instagram.