That Happens

We return from what may or may not have been a long break. Honestly, we recorded some episodes out of order, so nobody really knows where we are in the timeline anymore. Before figuring out our own lore, we have some bad news: The Spleen is in the hospital after crashing an Uber at three times the speed limit. His prognosis remains unclear, though he was reportedly administered 30 cc's of Funyuns. From there, we meander through Spencer getting bitten by a large dog whose elderly owner was being dragged down a hiking trail like an upturned Koopa shell, a coworker who died and was eulogized via workplace intercom sandwiched between parking reminders and a car show announcement, and an airport encounter with a man who was absolutely convinced that eating large quantities of homemade hummus was directly improving his tennis game. Kevin then arrives at his Las Vegas hotel to discover Mr. Beast staring at him outside his window, and somehow this is the least weird part of the episode. We debate whether their podcast intro saying "white lives" is giving undue prominence to white lives, and discuss the chaotic teenage internet figure known as "Clavicular," who has been bone-smashing, meth-smoking, and tying backpacks to his genitals in pursuit of physical perfection. Spencer also reveals he has relapsed into smoking weed, while learning game development in Godot partly to spite his father, and has committed to invoking "Michael Jordan Flu Game" as a life philosophy. Listener emails round things out, including a fan whose wife assumed Spencer was "an educated black man." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Spencer and Kevin finally record in the same room for the first time in what feels like eons, which immediately throws us both into an existential crisis about where to look and whether we're supposed to be making a podcast or something else entirely. We're in an apartment that calls itself "luxury" with the same energy a gas station hot dog calls itself "gourmet," complete with an extensive list of fines in all-caps and bizarrely secretive key-hiding instructions. To celebrate our physical reunion, we attempt a power hour featuring an alarming quantity of novelty Peeps flavors and five hot sauces including an Italian wolf-themed one that becomes our favorite by sheer force of garlic and vinegar. We eat while we're trying to talk about geopolitics, resulting in a chaotic blur of snack takes, Middle East tensions, and Spencer discovering mid-episode that he is, in fact, allergic to pecans. We also cover Spencer's grandmother keeping ham inside her boot. You probably don't want to miss that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen welcomes the brilliant Kate Freund to his Oubliette, and she's here to talk about Pretty Lethal, her action film about ballerinas who have to fight their way out of a very bad situation without the help of any dads whatsoever. Before getting into the cinematic deep cuts, the gang covers the important stuff: Kate's obsession with plant-based buffalo wings, the surprisingly rich cultural history connecting Roger Corman's grindhouse empire to the founding of IHOP, and the existential crisis Kate had after watching Taken and realizing her father's skill set was more "destroy a car dealer with paperwork" than "Liam Neeson." Kate walks us through the absolutely heroic 15-year journey of getting Pretty Lethal made: from a 2011 draft involving a trapdoor to being told by an executive to just change all the women to a boys' baseball team. She didn't. The film, now top two in the US on Amazon, features five ballerinas, razor blades on pointe shoes, Uma Thurman doing knitting between takes, and a signed jar of Skippy that Kate will never, ever eat. Tune in, put on a tutu, and watch the damn movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us with comedian/podcaster Kyle Ayers for a chaotic episode where where we cover tennis judging, Apple Store warfare tactics, and the existential terror that is Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Kyle stops by fresh from refereeing children's tennis matches (he's basically a scarecrow with authority) to discuss his podcast Never Seen It, creating comedy segments out of thin air, and that time he opened for a houseplant named Colby. The gang bonds over their shared Apple Store trauma, where we learn that corporate empathy training actually works on kindergarten tennis players. We also tackle the hard-hitting questions: Are monarch butterflies the real villains? Did Courage the Cowardly Dog predict modern anxiety? And why does every important childhood memory involve either Rocco's Modern Life or nitrous oxide? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian, writer and talk show host Mary Houlihan is back! Mary shares insights from cosmetology school, explains why Tim Dillon might actually be more helpful than your favorite Hollywood liberal who posts trans flags but won't sign anything, and makes a compelling case for why shame-based persuasion is about as effective as a car in an oubliette. The conversation meanders through topics like why famous people are weirdly silent about genocide, how fighting with people online is basically the political equivalent of stress-eating cheeseburgers, and why more leftists should steal Joe Rogan's audience instead of just complaining about him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer's car got broken into, he's unsure if he's accidentally racist, then nearly killed an elderly jaywalker, realizes he's midway through a slow flanderization into a caricature of himself, and ate some restaurant food that tastes like bleach. We also touch on why there's a healing fantasy about strong man politicians, parental wounds being capitalist tools, and how Magic: The Gathering's stack system works. Also, we're on YouTube now. https://www.youtube.com/@ThatHappensPod/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we invite filmmaker and Channel 101 show runner Sevan Najarian, to talk his new film "Mars" by The Whitest Kids U' Know. He goes pretty deep into the internals of producing a movie with a lot of challenges, breaking his back during a wedding proposal, managing 20 employees working out of his house, and why every video editor is secretly obsessed with making broth. There's also an extended detour into the ethics of using AI to resurrect the voice of a cast member who died during post-production, the cult-like aspects of growing up in a religion that forbids philosophy classes, and why holding your breath during podcast intros is actually very bad for your kidneys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen broadcasts live from a stadium dumpster and becomes a white mage of Tinactin and banana peels. We try to figure out what makes sense of the recent Epstein files drama, the government's bold strategy of just lying about everything, make some predictions that are sure not to age poorly, and try to figure out why we both have had bad experiences with smoked Gouda cheese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the Spleen attempts to cover the Grammys from an increasingly questionable "red carpet". Between intense discussions about yakasoba bread (yes, it's noodles in a sandwich with pickled ginger, yes it's amazing), we somehow stumble into surprisingly coherent discussions about: the lack of imagination in conservative thinking, why every accusation really is a confession, the absolutely wild Epstein files, ICE raids in LA, and whether small business tax fraud is morally different from billionaire tax fraud (spoiler: it's not). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin and Spencer talk Pluribus, then detour off to rant about technical nuances of television production and why you can't see or hear anything in TV shows anymore. Spencer discovers he can zoom on Zoom, much to our delight. Somehow we end up on thoughts on self-esteem versus collective purpose, the importance of doing something even when you can't do everything, and why baking cookies for your neighbors counts as praxis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Eli Yudin joins the show for what starts as a chat about animation and art school but quickly spirals into deep discussion on why everything is broken. We cover the important stuff: why old Newgrounds animations slapped, whether musical comedy is real comedy, the insane labor practices destroying creative industries, why growth-obsessed capitalism is a death cult, and most crucially, the correct Elden Ring build. Eli shares stories about his comedy special "Humble Offering," explains why he now reads weird little tales instead of doing traditional standup, and reveals his shameful addiction to Escape from Tarkov despite the game being held together with duct tape and broken quests. There's also a detour into how National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation proves that workers have lost all their power, a passionate defense of Tom and Jerry's artistic merit, and Spencer admitting he beat Dark Souls III by just punching everything to death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We look back at our predictions we made at the start of last year, along with current events... in horror. Spencer's distraught at the rise of fascism and the failure of our government in its most fundamental values. Kevin lists of all the ways we've squandered a few centuries of good will and soft power. Is the first domino about to fall, or are we about to reboot as America 2.0? Spencer tries to look back at his 2025 tarot readings and do a new one for 2026. Are we headed towards more petulance and opposition, or is the answer some creative teamwork? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Spencer and Abed for a rainy drive-turned-adventure. With Kevin mysteriously absent (where IS he?), the duo navigates rain-soaked LA streets while tackling the hard-hitting questions: What even IS the breakfast question? Why is Abed's favorite actress someone he's never actually watched? Can you really cook a $200 Wagyu steak in a wok? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer is a guest on Abed Hour, the semi regular chaos talk show on Schrab Home Video hosted by The Abed. Check out Schrab Home Video Sunday nights at schrabhomevideo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer and Kevin reflect on 2025's cascade of failures while attempting to maintain the festive spirit through sheer force of will and a few more questionable beverage choices to round out the year. We look back and try to decide if Spencer's screaming cowboy video was the series' creative peak, and try to determine if rebirth is possible with out having death first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer's comes up with a plan to relaunch the Sizzler chain of restaurants as Steakler that might have more merit than you think, before he stumbles on the realization that thoughts are just "some guy being like, look at this!" which is probably the most accurate description of Buddhist philosophy you'll hear today. AI VTubers are probably good, but Pluribus hive mind collectives are probably bad? Help us get to the bottom of this, and help us help you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer is Santa and campaigns on Medicare for pets. We expose Spencer's groundbreaking theory that America is just a runaway MLM scheme, an idea for a box within a box producing exponential rarity, Kevin's obsession with Alan Watts, and a crazy pitch for "The Roommate from Hell". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer and Jeff Eckman hit the road in search of Truth, Justice, and the American Way. This is an audio only episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer soothes a rough patch in his life with some apple pie mac & cheese and Cheez-It inspired pizza, after skillfully avoiding a bear attack. We debate the pizza, but Kevin later reveals he'd probably sell his soul for Cheez-Its. Spencer's life might be foretold by horoscopes, which hopefully aren't affected by us not even noticing Daylight Savings Time anymore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer enumerates every possible bucket we've explored and then looks for some new ones, including the fabled Adventurtunity Rantidew Mountifesto that may or may not have happened. We touch on a surreal encounter with a museum docent who really wanted to show us a toilet that may or may not exist, a Harmontown recap spinoff, and giving thanks to those who deserve it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Schrab sits with Spencer to talk about writing and directing for things like Rick & Morty and Community, and opens up about his fears about being a "90-percenter", burnout, and the eternal question of whether to keep grinding or just accept that maybe you've done enough cool stuff for one lifetime. Spencer fires back with some ideas about lightning, eggs and the weird Silent Hill 2 ending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abed gets Bauhaus Blasted before we go into a deep therapy session about our failed attempts to make pizza (it's Tiktok's fault), then consume some manly chocolate while debating the Lost, Six Feet Under and Dead Like Me shared cinematic universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now That’s What I Call Happens! Volume 8! The Spleen sold all of our microphones, so enjoy this rehash of old bits from That Happens! It’ll have you saying "Now That’s What I Call Happens!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we try to figure out why Joe Rogan is the way that he is, why Spider-Man is making Magic: The Gathering players angry, what carbonated breakfast cereal tastes like, if Spencer's game show pitch "Reverse Jeopardy" works, and why the last episode got a huge surge in listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer and Kevin dip back into the twisted finale of Neon Genesis Evangelion in this week's episode. After sampling some questionably flavored Mountain Dew (featuring notes of children's cough syrup and gummy worms), they unpack the deeply uncomfortable masterpiece that is The End of Evangelion. In a fitting farewell to this franchise, Kevin experiences the full mental assault of Anno's uncompromising vision. Meanwhile, Spencer attempts to explain why a movie where the protagonist makes some questionable choices in the opening scene and does basically nothing else somehow became a cornerstone of anime history. They wrestle with the film's relentless commitment to making viewers uneasy, from Shinji's catatonic breakdown to that infamous final scene that nobody can quite agree on the meaning of. Also, The Spleen may have sold some medbeds to the White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Spencer as he navigates stuck images, wrong music, and the eternal mystery of what this show is actually about. In this episode, Spencer holds down the fort in California while Kevin broadcasts live from what can only be described as the most historically problematic Airbnb ever, a 400 year old mayor's attic in Amsterdam, complete with wooden beams and presumably several centuries' worth of ghosts judging his snack choices. We tackle the hard hitting issues you expect from us like expired Dorito reviews, the ongoing European peanut butter controversy that has apparently broken the internet, and Spencer's brilliant plan to insert himself into every dramatic TV show as a voice of reason. We've got travel stories, snack science, and just enough existential podcast crisis to keep things spicy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen makes some questionable investments after his wildly successful crowdfunding campaign, Spencer sells out to Big Pop-Tart and may have caused a Marvel movie to flop, and other hard hitting topics like at what point Spencer's bed becomes "made". We also pitch a modern reboot of Moby Dick, which goes great with all the weird Fanta that Kevin found. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Spencer "Dick Butkiss" Crittenden, Jeff "Teen Wolf Creator" Davis, and Kevin "Spartan Shelf Life" Day as they somehow transform a simple podcast about oysters and clams into a sprawling discussion of Belgian colonialism, psychic dogs, and Spencer's complete life meltdown. Jeff returns from his European adventure armed with Dutch philosophy ("Eat the apple pie, my friend. It is not going to get any better"), disturbing knowledge about King Leopold II's Congo shenanigans, and an unhealthy obsession with Liège waffles. Meanwhile, the hosts debate the finer points of carbonating Jägermeister, Kevin's mysterious 15-year-old SodaStream with questionable geopolitical connections, and whether Pokemon would be too caloric to consume (gotta eat them all!). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Alexis Quasarano is back to talk about anime that doesn't make you cry, Magic: The Gathering deck building and why Spencer's Zedruu deck is based around people pleasing. Also, could everyone stop putting real names in your Death Note notebooks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this particularly unhinged episode of Anime Binge Club, Spencer drags us through the psychological meat grinder that is "The End of Evangelion." Spencer's doctoral level thesis on giant robot theology is a small comfort in this late-stage anime-induced trauma. Was this all a masterpiece of uncompromising art? The most elaborate prank ever played on anime fans? Join us for a two hour journey into animated psychological horror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Spleen got access to a rocket launcher, so Spencer fills in for our intrepid radio host. Kevin "Yes, and..."s himself out of improv classes, we take a break with Mountain Dew that gives off hints of rose water, then look at VR accessories that kinda suck. Spencer looks for a job, and we debate if liking meta humor is a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It turns out there are more of you listening than we thought, but Spencer is more focused on his controversial tax plan, recursion into AI, and trolling us on the plot of Death Stranding 2. Making things worse are Grok's government contracts, Kevin Spacey's videos and ChatGPT for children. We also premiere the world debut of The Spleen's new dance track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gas leak episode. Is it a clip show? No. Let us paint a picture of a podcast that has somehow survived despite, or perhaps because of, its complete lack of direction. Celebrate the fact that we somehow reached 200 episodes through sheer stubborn momentum rather than any conventional measure of success. Congratulations, Spencer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The real Jeff B. Davis is back to catch up, talk touring, scaring people, the loss of social kindness, Jeff's favorite moves with ChatGPT, Spencer's favorite moves in the kitchen, Kevin's favorite moves in the bedroom, and what to do in Oaxaca, Mexico. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer dishes up his jury duty gossip, but this podcast is bad and we found a way to blame our listeners as we prepare for our 200th episode. Listener emails give us some insights while we capture some of The Spleen's most private of essences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congratulations! We've made it to the controversial final two episodes of Evangelion. We finally see what the instrumentality project is, but do we understand it? Do we understand any of what we just watched? Also, let's take a glimpse at what if the whole series was just a goofy sitcom? Spencer lays out what it all means while we go through these fever dream-like episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen unveils his latest scheme, turning the refrigerator he lives in into a cookie vending machine. Kevin brings out some spicy Indian colas, while Spencer samples the best thing out of Little Caesars. We talk cooking, Final Fantasy intersecting with Magic: The Gathering, political unrest and jury duty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was Abed real? If so, why did he and the Spleen have to run to Montana as part of a cookie heist? Meanwhile the real Spencer came back from Kentucky, and got to sample the mountains, the food and the bugs. Kevin's worried that computers are getting sneakier, while Spencer just wants some French butter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Abed handle The Spleen? Can Abed combine commentary on John Wick, Tiptoes, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings and more in a single episode? Can Abed fill Kevin's shoes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dungeon Master, actor, writer and all around great guy Brennan Lee Mulligan joins us to talk role playing, improv, storycrafting and life as a content creator. He gives advice for players and DMs on striking a balance between giving players agency and keeping his own narrative structure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome Red, White and Blueland with some crazy snacks, the evil that is AI job interviews, beaver nuggets, and we decide to look at the show's worst reviews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's better than an introspective look at cole slaw and Baldur's Gate 3? Do you miss Skype already? Is AI tricking us into thinking it's smarter than it is? Why does The Spleen need a GoFundMe for a new bed? In memorium of our greatest friend and mentor, Chup Chunklet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What begins as a discussion about some dubious knife-selling quickly spirals into an elaborate scheme where the Spleen tries to sell knives from prison, creating what he calls "a captive market." Slicing into some tasty blood oranges has got to be part of it. A listener convinces us to put mayonnaise in our eggs, but we may end up just suing ourselves in a legal loophole and end up right back in prison selling knives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eva gets wild! A fifth children? Shinji grapples with deciding if he should end a life? Who is Lilith? What's the difference between a Black Moon and a White Moon? We dive as deep as we can while still having little idea what's going on, come join us for the wild ride and bread baking! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spleen continues his crossover with Kevin, Jeff and Ryan discussing Episode 23 of Neon Genesis Evangelion. What's going on with Rei? Did she sacrifice herself for Shinji? How do the dead sea scrolls matter here? Is a current thunderstorm in LA related to an angel attack? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh yeah, baby, the Spleen and Kevin are back! The Spleen admits to his two pack a day habit of Coitus Lights, but nothing beats the taste of arsenic! Kevin chimes in on a couple of Evangelion episodes, then we try to figure out what mulled beverages are good for. This is technically still a broadcast, right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this packed episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion, we explore Fuyutsuki's memories of the Second Impact and his complex relationship with Gendo, revealing shocking truths about the Eva project's origins and the shadowy organization Seele. Then, we witness Asuka's emotional breakdown as she confronts her traumatic childhood memories while fighting an Angel that invades her mind. The episode features stunning psychological sequences, including that unforgettable elevator scene with Rei, as Asuka's barriers crumble under the weight of her past. After that, we discuss Severance Season 2's disappointments, Twin Peaks' distinctive storytelling, and whether David Lynch is just a normal guy with a weird imagination. Spencer, Jeff, and Ryan also dive into recommendations for The Pit and Common Side Effects, two shows tackling modern society's challenges in vastly different ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a werecar become a werebaby? Being in prison is expensive and annoying, civil rights and democracy are breaking down, but a horror anthology podcast makes a lot of sense even if H.P. Lovecraft's schtick was just being bad at explaining things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It feels so good when I stab you, Morty! We're crashing planes, there's a hotpot on Spencer's bed, the Alliance of Werecars plays a role, Spencer drinks some airplane fluid then glues some pennies to the floor, Jerry goes to Quiznos, there's a literal hole in Vince's chest, Steven's got no neck dive, and does anyone else remember Josta? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices