Still Spinning on 06.10.26

Still Spinning on 06.17.26

Episode 147 -- Keep Spinning (Just Maybe Not Scrolling) Dan was "sunburned". Nicole was ready. And somehow we ended up covering deep fakes, boner pill ads, and the future of flying -- all in one episode. We kicked things off with breaking news: the British Prime Minister announced plans to ban social media for anyone under 16, going further than any country has gone before. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, X -- all off limits for kids. Nicole walks through what makes this different from Australia's version and why enforcement is the real question. Then Dan brings the stats on America quietly breaking up with alcohol. The percentage of Americans drinking dropped from 62% in 2023 to 54% in 2025 -- a massive shift in a very short time. Gen Z is leading the charge, and the beverage industry is scrambling to keep up with non-alcoholic spirits, THC drinks, and whatever a dirty Mountain Dew is. Dan accidentally ordered one. He did not enjoy it. Nicole drops a topic that had Dan immediately claiming he called it years ago: electric air taxis are officially happening this month under a federal pilot program. Planes that take off like helicopters, land in 150 feet, and could eventually make regional air travel look like an Uber. Dan has opinions.  Dan also has a DJI Mavic and a parachute man, and those things turned into a whole other story. And yes, Dan accidentally listened to a very different kind of performance anxiety meditation on the Calm app before a post-prom trivia show. A month of interesting ads followed. You'll understand when you hear it. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts -- we drop new episodes every Wednesday. Until next time, Spinners. Keep spinning.

Still Spinning on 06.10.26

Dan and Nicole are back after a few weeks away, and they're jumping right in. After a quick catch-up on birthdays, anniversaries, and Nicole's notable failure to remember either of Dan's, the conversation takes off in all directions. First up, Dan's been reading "Unreasonable Hospitality" -- the fascinating (and slightly creepy) story of one of the world's most celebrated restaurants and the lengths they go to make guests feel like they're the only person in the room. Hint: they know more about you before you walk in than you'd probably like. The gang also digs into the tasting menu experience and whether a $500-a-plate dinner with no choices is brilliant or just insane. Then things get scary. AI-powered travel scams have officially gone next-level. Scammers are now creating fake hotel listings -- complete with AI-renovated photos that make dingy motels look like boutique resorts -- and some travelers are arriving to find no hotel at all. We're talking paid-in-full reservations that simply don't exist. Dan breaks down how it works, how to protect yourself, and why the advice to "just book direct" is easier said than done. And finally: are you still paying $200+ a month for cell service? Dan made the switch to Mint Mobile and has some thoughts. Some very enthusiastic, slightly evangelical thoughts. It's good to be back. Come hang with us.

Still Spinning on05.13.26

Episode 145: We Miss Spirit Airlines Now That It's Dead Spirit Airlines vanished overnight (and a TikToker wants you to chip in $1.75 billion to bring it back). Survivor hits 50 seasons with MrBeast and Billie Eilish making cameos. AI chatbots are now inventing diseases that don't exist. And the guy who invented the Roomba wants to sell you a robot pet with bear-cub ears that drags you off the couch. Plus: Dan survives post-prom trivia in small-town Minnesota, Nicole confesses her goth-era Winona Ryder phase, and we settle whether Jeff Probst is underpaid at $60 million. New episodes every Wednesday. Live Mondays on Facebook.

Still Spnning on04.06.26

Dan and Nicole are back for EP144 and the wallet is taking hits. Gas prices have hit a four-year high (Dan's now coasting home in neutral), Minnesota became the first state to ban "nudification" apps (and yes, it's as dystopian as it sounds), McDonald's is quietly killing the self-serve soda fountain (RIP, suicide drink), and an 82-year-old Minnesotan named Anita just got the "Grandparents Happy Hour Bill" passed so nursing homes can serve booze. Plus: the public habit France is now FINING people for. It's called bare-beating, and your first guess is wrong. We promise.

Still Spinning on 04.29.26

Episode 143 of The Still Spinning Podcast is back after a week off, and Dan and Nicole are catching up on a packed lineup. Nicole returns from a New York City vacation where she actually disconnected (gasp!), saw Rocky Horror on Broadway from spit-zone seats, caught Oh, Mary! with John Cameron Mitchell and Simu Liu, and toured the Severance filming location in Red Bank. Dan, meanwhile, did "absolutely nothing" except start a brand new project the day before a trivia gig (because that's just how he rolls). Then it's off to the rant zone: * Airline nickel-and-diming: Some carriers now want to charge you for overhead bin access. Dan's been preaching this gospel for years. Nicole shares her nightmare Newark luggage tram saga that should be its own short film. * The $34 Taco John's incident: Two meals, a couple Mexi Rolls, and a fully malfunctioning AI drive-thru that tried to sell Dan two large Diet Mountain Dews when he ordered one. America is broken. * Starbucks goes Nashville: The coffee giant is dropping $100 million on a new Nashville HQ and asking Seattle employees to pack their bags or take the pay cut. Plus, Dan reveals his Starbucks Reserve Black Card (yes, that's a real thing, and yes, he's in the top 1% of customers worldwide) and pitches his big idea: top-tier customers should automatically get bumped to the front of the mobile order line. You're welcome, Starbucks. * Goodwill gold: A Chicago carpet cleaner buys a $5 plate at Goodwill and turns it into a $4,000 to $6,000 Sotheby's payday. Dan tells his own thrift store treasure tale that his wife will absolutely use as ammunition. * Childhood chaos: Foam glider planes, M-80s, and the kind of stories that make you marvel anyone born in the '80s made it to adulthood. * The fake "secret" menu: Starbucks emails Dan their official Devil Wears Prada secret menu, which... isn't a secret if you blast it to millions of people, guys. Plus, after 143 episodes, the duo finally lands on the podcast name they should have used all along: Wait, What? Tune in, laugh along, and remember: tell one person about the show. Just one. (And if you hate it, tell someone you hate. They'll probably love it.) Keep spinning!