Notes from a Small (Cold, Dark, Miserable) Island

12: Raw Milk Politics

With the local elections coming up we're here to explain the UK's complicated political system, why it doesn't neatly map onto American politics and how to pronounce Plaid Cymru.  Plus all the hot and cold takes from the King's comedy tour of Washington. Mike recounts a bank holiday encounter with farmer hawking raw milk out in the shires and Matt runs down his list of top fictional transatlantic couples, not all of which met a tragic end. Which fav of yours didn't make the list? Tell us here:  colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com [colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com]

11: Holiday Time ft. Max Geller

What's more British than a proper British holiday resort with proper British people eating proper British food, somewhere far away from Britain? This week the hosts are joined by Matt's neighbour Max Geller, a Bostonian who explains how he found love on the campaign trail and how that eventually led to, uh, package holidays on the Mediterranean. While Matt and Max each spent their recent holibobs with their famalams in one of those Great British foreign resorts, Mike didn't even leave the country and instead went on long walks around villages and rocky beaches. So of course under this nation's strange class rules, his vacation was posh. Yes, British holidays can be an absolute minefield - particularly since, fellow Americans, you're expected to actually take those vacation days - but we're here to break it all down.  Chips with everything!

10: The Sport(s) Episode

Your hosts tackle the wide world of British sport, from football (soccer) to snooker (pool, but much, much more difficult).  Will we ever make a proper footie fan out of Matt. And what's the right way to appreciate "the beautiful game"? Mike argues that all the British sports are basically just different versions of the American games you know and love. Go team!  Plus a mercifully brief update on what's going on the world, and why you should think twice before you take your Trader Joe's tote out of the house. *** Mike's latest work on the blood sport that is the current battle for the Republican Party can be found on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002sf55 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002sf55]

9: Wake Up! It's the First of the Month

As the homeland goes to war once again, we pick over the state of the union and find it ... totally great, no problems, all good. Cheap eggs, too. Really though, your hosts Matt and Mike play a quick game of two truths and a lie, and provide an urgent update for those of you with more than one passport.  Plus, is half of Royal Mail really stool and urine samples? We investigate. Because let's face it, nobody else is going to. Get in touch: colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com [colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com]

8: The Love Boat ft. Derek Miller

Today we're on a journey from Chicago to LA, via Indiana and New York, but as we know, all roads lead to ... Yorkshire. Actor, Windy City native and improv scene veteran Derek Miller [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2479885/bio/] tells us about winning money off of Green Day, finding love on the high seas, Tim Burton's strangely normal affect and how he ended up being the only American in the village.  Derek shares his thoughts on the UK comedy scene and how he landed a gig playing himself on current affairs television.  Plus in news corner we ask why the Epstein scandal is claiming scalps in Britain but seems to have left all the powerful people back home completely untouched. Weird, huh?  We're making a list of who we should have on next. Get in touch: colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com [colddarkmiserablepod@gmail.com] And read more about Derek here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2479885/bio/ [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2479885/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm]