PODCAST · society
SmartDrivel
by Smart Drivel Media LLC
SmartDrivel is the podcast that promises the drivel and hopes for the smart in every episode. Listeners have described the podcast as funny, quirky, and secretly educational. Join co-hosts Kurt Schneider and Jon Ellenthal as they dig into a wide range of topics drawn from pop culture, history, word play, business, martinis, and more. If you want to impress your friends with your knowledge of the origin of popular phrases, fun facts about pretty much everything, what a contronym is, how beer saved the world, great nicknames, products that accidentally found a market, and pet peeves, then SmartDrivel is the podcast for you.
Episodes
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S2E18: The Can Opener for Life
We are curious folk, us humans. We live in a disposable society, yet there are some purchases we make early on that we keep forever. When was the last time you bought a new can opener? Fondue set? Or, let’s get a little existential…when was the last time you changed your hairstyle? Your religion?...
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S2E17: Gerrymandered
What does finding out which country has Sweden in their national anthem (hint: it is not Sweden), what the name is for the little bumps on a raspberry, and discussing if we now know too much about our medical conditions for our own good have in common? Why it is another episode of Smart Drivel....
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S2E16: Do You Really Understand That?
From wine to modern art to the game of cricket, we humans seem to pretend we know what is going on when we generally have no idea. Can you really taste the hint of old leather laced with blackberries from the north side of the slope? Do you really know what Discounted Cash Flow means? Yet, we all...
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S2E15: Little Design Fails
Design is a fantastic aspect of everyday life. When it is “on”, it beautifully blends art and practicality, form and function. And yet, there are many examples of when an added element or a slightly flawed decision results in a product that just doesn’t work. Jon and Kurt provide illustration and...
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S2E14: Parenting Then and Now
For those of us who grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s as part of the latch-key kid phenomenon, our parents practiced what we currently call “benign neglect” in raising us. We, as parents ourselves, flipped the switch completely into a “constant surveillance” mode of parenting. Jon and Kurt delve…
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Ep. 207: Euro-Weirded Out
As Americans, we tend to be ethnocentric when we travel. We expect, stereotypically and categorically, that things “over there” will be what they are back in the States. We seem to be shocked and/or humored by their lack of ice cubes, to go cups, and shorts. Well, the opposite is also true…the...
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S2E13: 10,000 Steps and Other Lies
There we are, going through our day, doing things we feel are part of being human, or good for us, or scientifically proven to better our lives. And then we discover that all these things we are doing were foisted upon us by marketers. That’s right, our routines and habits are manufactured by...
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S2E12: Memento Mori
In this episode, Kurt puts Jon on the hot seat with a simple game: Was this famous person a Stoic...or not? Winston Churchill. Queen Elizabeth II. Napoleon Bonaparte. Amelia Earhart. Marcus Aurelius is too easy, so don't expect any freebies. Along the way, they separate Stoicism from simply…
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S2E11: The Secret Histories Hidden in Everyday Words
In this episode, the boys follow a trail of words that turns out to be a lot stranger than expected. Why does bankruptcy involve a broken bench? Why is malaria named after "bad air"? What does a medieval orphanage have to do with the surnames Esposito and Innocente? And how did the word "nephew"...
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S2E10: The Unforgettable Smell of Play-Doh
Did you know that smells, besides being the strongest door to memories, can be trademarked? As can sounds? Jon and Kurt discuss examples of these as well as smoking tigers, irony, Pocahontas, and the story behind the marathon being 26.2 miles.
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S2E9: Jim Dandy
Jon and Kurt go all Magellan on you this episode and discuss geographic oddities sure to blow your mind. That, and somehow Wilt Chamberlain and poutine make appearances. Oh, and Blue Swede sang “Hooked on a Feeling” not “Ride Captain Ride.” That was Blues Image. Kurt apologizes.
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S2E7: Mayday, Mayday, Mayday
Jon and Kurt are back with a new episode that explains the origins of “mayday”, delves into men’s new need to keep up a “hot style,” what it means to age, and well just some other drivel that attempts to lay in some smart.
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S2E7: The Greatest April Fool's Pranks (redux)
Jon and Kurt decided to capitalize on the fact that they recorded this episode in April and put out a topical discussion about pranks. They found historical jokes centuries old that fooled many middle agers (not someone in their 50s, but someone who lived centuries ago) and some that got the…
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S2E6: To the Moon and Back
What do Gatorade, cows with accents, rude dry cleaners, and the moon all have in common? Well, if you like your drivel kinda smart, you’ll see how they all come together in the latest episode of Learn, Rant, Laugh: A Smart Drivel podcast.
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S2 E5: The Birthday Paradox
In this episode, the boys learn how The New York Times reinvented itself, get their minds blown by The Birthday Paradox, rant a little as befits their curmudgeonly state, and–oh yeah–end on a fascinating, intellectual discussion of at-home prostate exams. We’d say “dive in” but maybe that’s a...
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S2 E4: Swinging Oysters
Learning, Ranting, and Laughing, our idiosyncratic hosts are back for another episode in season two of Smart Drivel. They discuss gender perspective, a time without a U.S. President, bad acoustics, the phenomenon of grade inflation for email/text responses, and, of course, the post-series, made…
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S2 E3: Pan Am Smile
The boys are back for the third episode in Season 2 of Learn, Rant, Laugh–A Smart Drivel Podcast. In this episode we learn how the term “Pan Am Smile” made it into the mainstream, how a horse named Fauvel would have sycophants groom him. These discussions then morph into some ranting about...
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S2 E2: Learn, Rant, Laugh. A Smart Drivel Podcast
Join Jon and Kurt as they excitedly discuss what they learned, what ticked them off, and what made them laugh since the last episode. This time they get into phone etiquette, cockiness vs. arrogance, the beauty of finishing third, and a whole host of other topics.
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S2 E1: Season 2 is Here!
After 302 episodes, Smart Drivel is back with Season 2 – and a new structure. Jon and Kurt are still two allegedly grown‑up, definitely 60‑year‑old guys trying to make sense of the unusual things that grab their attention. What’s new? Every episode now runs in three quick, repeatable segments:...
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Ep:302 Pie vs. Pi (redux)
The one that started it all! The very first Smart Drivel of all time. Jon and Kurt explore the world of Pie and of Pi. From ancient savory pies to American Pie by Don McClean to the invention of the Frisbee and Archimedes, they dig into pies and pi of all nature.
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Ep.301: Zarf
To celebrate the holidays and the start of a new “century” of episodes, Jon and Kurt are giving each other gifts. These gifts–meant to be shared via verbal transmission in bars, meetings, and gatherings of all sorts–are interesting tidbits of language, history, legend, and social customs. Little...
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Ep. 300: What’s in a Number?
Three hundred episodes. Almost nine thousand minutes. One hundred and fifty hours. That is a buttload (an actual unit of measurement – little call back there) of drivel that has been spewed forth by Jon and Kurt over the past six years. The boys invite you to join in on the celebration of…
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Ep.299: Whoa, Jon, Whoa
There is a narrative device which, when implemented, can add punch, power, and percolation to any sentence, essay, speech, play, poem. This device is called “diacope” and it is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is repeated, with one or more words in between the repetitions. It is used for...
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Ep.298: He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
Ah, siblings. No one better to complain about Mom and Dad, but no one who annoys you more. A brother or a sister can get under your skin more than anyone as they know exactly what buttons to push. Sometimes, it goes too far resulting in decades long feuds or, as in the case of the very first...
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Ep.297: Cemetery or Graveyard?
Ever stop to think about two words that we usually interchangeably use to mean the same thing? Well, most of the time, there is a clear difference and distinction between the two words and we were given two of them because they mean different things. Jon decides to test Kurt throughout the…
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Ep. 296: Famous Last Meals
If tonight was your last night on earth, what would you choose for your final meal? Jon and Kurt look into famous last meals from historical figures, serial killers, and celebrities. What does it say about you or what do you want to send as a message? Or, do you just want to make sure you get…
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Ep.295: Opinions Are Like A$&%holes
Anapodoton is a rhetorical device where the main clause of a sentence is omitted, and its meaning is implied by a subordinate clause that is provided, most commonly in well-known proverbs or phrases. The implied information is easily understood and mentally supplied by the listener or reader…
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Ep.294: History Mystery
Jon and Kurt decide to scratch their history itch by having a conversation about some of the world’s greatest unsolved history mysteries. Of course, this being Jon and Kurt, they meander a bit off topic, but do manage to come back each time to probe and theorize what the hell happened.
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Ep.293: Money Makes the World Go ‘Round
Money. We love it. We hate it. We crave it. We spend it. Money, in all its forms, has been an integral part of all societies. Whether it was huge stones, salt, emu feathers, or trillion dollar bills, it has always had dominion over civilization. In this episode, Jon and Kurt look into the…
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Ep. 292: Fuzzy Balls
It all started with a simple question: why are manhole covers round? And then it grew from there…why are eggs always sold in a dozen? Why do pigeons bob their heads when they walk? Why do round pizzas come in a square box? And an episode was born. Come listen to Jon and Kurt ask each other these...
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Ep. 291: Hats Off To You
Jon and Kurt decide to look at famous hats throughout history and fiction. That’s right. Hats. What started as a random thought turned into a fertile patch of fun, interesting, and previously unknown stories about hats in legend, historical fact, pop culture, and literature. Slip off your…
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Ep. 290: So You Think You’re Special?
No matter how smart or talented you think your kids are, there are those among us who are just special. Amazing. Mind blowing. These are the child prodigies. The ones in history who are so talented they were doing incredible things at such a young age. Like Mozart. Like the kid who was giving...
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Ep. 289: Power Couples (redux)
Jon and Kurt have a little forum about the most amazing couples ever. Those from fiction. From wars. From the bible. From the arts. From politics. From legend. Forged in love or in greed, these couples all have a fascinating story to tell.
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Ep. 288: Surprising Acronyms (redux)
Did you know Time magazine was actually an acronym? In this episode, Jon and Kurt have fun with explaining, finding, and debating fun acronyms that are used in every day conversation. Please RSVP...if you want to be redundant.
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Ep. 287: Dumber and Dumb Doesn't Sound Right
Gin & Tonic. Salt & Pepper. Fish & Chips. Done & Dusted. Bread & Butter. Sonny & Cher. Earth Wind & Fire. Lock Stock & Barrel. Signed Sealed & Delivered. All of these examples are what are called Irreversible Binomials & Trinomials. The cute phrases or names that ALWAYS appear in the same order....
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Ep. 286: They Taught Us What? (redux)
We all did it. We all went to school with open minds, excited to learn new things. We, here in the U.S., learned a lot about our country’s history. Interestingly, with the lens of current knowledge, we now know that a lot of what we learned was not exactly correct. In this episode, Jon and Kurt...
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Ep. 285: If Famous People Were A Cocktail
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. We do it all the time…giving inanimate objects human-like characteristics. Well, in this episode, Jon and Kurt turn that on its head and decide to give humans the qualities of inanimate objects. In...
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Ep. 284: Big Bad Ben (redux)
Ben Franklin is deeply embedded in the American ethos. He was a Founding Father, an inventor, a printer, an author, a diplomat, a man about town, to name just a few of his talents. He was prolific to say the least and was a true Renaissance man. In this episode, Jon and Kurt marvel at his…
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Ep.283: Ok, You’re Famous…But Really?
Just because you are an incredible inventor, politician, musician, actor, artist, etc. it doesn’t mean you aren’t without your quirks. In this episode, Jon and Kurt reveal some of the, ahem, “odd” traits/behaviors/obsessions of famous folk. Guess it makes us feel better for always wrapping our...
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Ep.282: Why Did We Ever Believe That?
In searching for answers to quell fears or explain life’s quirks, humans have oft come up with some pretty bizarre beliefs. Tomatoes are poison? Witches steal a particular male body part and keep them for pets? Baths are dangerous? Photographs steal your soul? Ya, pretty funny yet weird stuff in...
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Ep. 281: Say that Again? (redux)
Jon and Kurt return to a theme from the early days of Smart Drivel as they give examples and discuss sayings that just make no sense. Some, like “on cloud 9” confuse one and not the other while others, such as “the exception proves the rule” require much thought. They agree on some, bring up some...
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Ep.280: Beware the Small Things
We always worry about the large looming events that change history. Yet, often, history’s pages are changed not by some titanic event (pun intended), but by small, seemingly inconsequential occurrences. A wrong turn, a different kind of rivet, a misplaced comma, a cuppa tea, a laziness in rushing...
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Ep. 279: Cat Got Your Tongue?
Jon and Kurt wonder at the pervasive use of animal idioms in everyday conversation. Why do we call someone a Black Sheep? Or accuse someone of crying Crocodile Tears? What is a Paper Tiger and who famously made it into an insult to his enemies? Get the Albatross From Around Your Neck or the…
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Ep.278 Murphy’s Law
No, dear listener, this episode is not about everything that can go wrong in a podcast episode will go wrong. It is, however, a quick dive into Named Laws of nature or corporate life or technology or etc. Jon and Kurt share and discuss “laws” that are named after people. Where did they come from?...
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Ep. 277: Epic Failures (redux)
There is an actual “Museum of Failures” which memorializes products that were massive failures. Classics like “neon green Heinz Ketchup” and “Spray on Condoms” (yes, you read that correctly) are on exhibit as are countless others that, while born out of innovation, just never made it. Jon and…
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Ep. 276: What's Gucci (redux)
Kurt and Jon explore the disorienting land defined by the Urban Dictionary and learn more than they bargained for. As it turns out, Kurt is equally at home with hors d'oeuvres as well as store d'oeuvres. One is consumed in a friend's living room. The other at Costco. If you don't know what it…
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Ep.275: No Way That is True (redux)
Did you know that the words written on Twitter every single day would fill a book of ten million pages? Did you know that “buttload” is an actual measurement? Jon and Kurt have fun in this episode doling out seemingly ridiculous statements that are actually true. They sound faker than Kurt’s…
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Ep.274: Wait…Wait…What %???!!!
It started innocently enough when Kurt drove by a parking lot full of fire trucks, lights flashing, but no fire. And it got them thinking, what % of a firefighters day is actually spent fighting fires? (Answer given in the episode.) From there, Jon and Kurt decided it would make a fun game show…
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Ep. 273: Men are Stupid
The boys decide to give in to their genetic hard-coding and spend an episode exploring what makes the male human do so many idiotic things. Throughout the ages, it seems that those with the Y chromosome have simply not evolved. The “why women outlive men” trend on social media has it right....
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Ep.272: Pet Peeve or Pet Pleasure
The boys are back sharing their feelings. They emote about peeves…yes, all those peeves, be they macro or micro, that get under their skin. But this time, they don’t just dwell on the negative, the bothersome, the nuisances, as they add a new category…pet pleasures. What are those...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
SmartDrivel is the podcast that promises the drivel and hopes for the smart in every episode. Listeners have described the podcast as funny, quirky, and secretly educational. Join co-hosts Kurt Schneider and Jon Ellenthal as they dig into a wide range of topics drawn from pop culture, history, word play, business, martinis, and more. If you want to impress your friends with your knowledge of the origin of popular phrases, fun facts about pretty much everything, what a contronym is, how beer saved the world, great nicknames, products that accidentally found a market, and pet peeves, then SmartDrivel is the podcast for you.
HOSTED BY
Smart Drivel Media LLC
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does SmartDrivel have?
SmartDrivel currently has 309 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is SmartDrivel about?
SmartDrivel is the podcast that promises the drivel and hopes for the smart in every episode. Listeners have described the podcast as funny, quirky, and secretly educational. Join co-hosts Kurt Schneider and Jon Ellenthal as they dig into a wide range of topics drawn from pop culture, history, word...
How often does SmartDrivel release new episodes?
SmartDrivel publishes regularly with 309 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to SmartDrivel?
You can listen to SmartDrivel on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts SmartDrivel?
SmartDrivel is created and hosted by Smart Drivel Media LLC.
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