Fairly Harmless

Andrew and James are back with a comedy podcast episode that covers a suspicious dad, a Christopher Nolan movie that somehow will be even longer, giant robots with unresolved personal issues, and a government infrastructure project that appears to have been invented on a coffee break. This is what happens when two people have access to a microphone and no adult supervision. Funny, weird, and completely off the rails, just the way we like it.

Andrew and James dig into 1970s American television. The golden age of shows that had no business being as good as they were, and plenty that had no business existing at all. This comedy podcast episode is a loving, slightly unhinged tribute to the decade that gave us wood paneling, questionable fashion, and TV writing that somehow still holds up. If you grew up glued to the set or just want to understand what people mean when they talk about 70s TV, this funny conversation is for you.

Will we have an early spring or six more weeks of Winter? It's Groundhog Day, and Andrew and James have questions, mostly about why we let a rodent run our meteorological lives. In this comedy podcast episode, the guys break down the strange, wonderful tradition of Punxsutawney Phil, shadow-based forecasting, and whether any of this actually predicts the weather (spoiler: it does not). Funny, absurd, and weirdly informative, this is the Groundhog Day discussion nobody asked for but absolutely needed.

Andrew and James take on travel; the good, the bad, and the deeply unnecessary. In this comedy podcast episode, the guys debate the best and worst ways to get from Point A to Point B, including a deep dive into road trips, questionable transportation decisions, and why bicycles are either the greatest invention in human history or a death wish on wheels. A funny, rambling conversation about getting around that goes everywhere except on schedule.

Andrew and James review the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie. Hollywood's most gloriously unhinged attempt to turn a beloved video game into a gritty action film nobody asked for. In this comedy podcast episode, the guys try to make sense of Bob Hoskins as Mario, Dennis Hopper as a lizard king, and a script that appears to have been written by someone who had only heard Super Mario Bros. described secondhand. Funny, baffling, and oddly affectionate, this is the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie review you didn't know you needed.

Andrew and James take a comedy podcast detour through Kansas, the state that is either America's most underrated road trip destination or proof that the universe has a sense of humor. The guys discuss driving across the flattest place in the continental US, the strange peace that comes from zero visual distractions, and the thoughts a person has when there is literally nothing else to look at. Funny, philosophical, and oddly therapeutic, no mountains required.

Andrew and James welcome Velvet Aquarium to the comedy podcast for a conversation that gets strange fast. This funny, freewheeling episode covers the phenomenon of remembering things that haven't happened yet, surreal personal stories, and the kind of confessions that only come out when the recording light is on. Equal parts humor podcast and fever dream, and somehow both at the same time. If you've ever felt like you've been somewhere before you've been there, this one's for you.

Andrew and James bring in special guest Pearse for a comedy podcast episode dedicated to the most important things in life: biscuits, burgers, hotdogs, and ice cream. This funny food episode celebrates local comfort food, the kind of eating that requires no apology, and the deeply held belief that lard is a perfectly acceptable cooking medium. If you love food podcasts, funny conversation, and the unapologetic joy of eating well, this is your episode.

Andrew and James deliver their full Andor retrospective. A comedy podcast deep dive into the best Star Wars show Disney has produced in years. This funny, genuinely enthusiastic episode covers what makes Andor so different from everything else in the Star Wars universe, why it works, and why two grown men are still thinking about it months later. If you loved Andor, or want to understand why everyone won't stop talking about it, this is the Star Wars podcast episode for you.

Andrew and James turn their comedy podcast toward the cosmos. Space, the universe, astronomy, astrology, and the eternal human question of what is actually out there. This funny episode pits science against vibes in a cosmic showdown where nobody is qualified and everyone has opinions. Whether you're into space facts, star signs, or just enjoy watching two people argue about things too big to fully comprehend, this humor podcast episode is your kind of galaxy-brained conversation.

Andrew and James dive into the weird, wonderful world of puppets in this comedy podcast episode; the handmade, felt-covered, googly-eyed kind. From Muppet nostalgia to the surprisingly deep science of what makes a puppet funny, this is a funny conversation that goes places no felt creature should ever go. If you've ever wondered why puppets are either delightful or deeply unsettling, this humor podcast episode has your answer. No strings attached.

Andrew and James get philosophical in this comedy podcast episode, exploring what happens when people shuffle off this mortal coil and how we as a culture process it. It's a funny, surprisingly thoughtful conversation about death, legacy, and the ridiculous rituals humans invent to make sense of it all. A humor podcast that somehow makes the cosmic bucket seem less daunting and more absurd, which is really the best we can hope for.

Andrew and James wade into the deep end of spiritual wellness culture in this comedy podcast episode; crystals, manifestation, cosmic energy, and all the things that are definitely not science but somehow very popular at brunch. A funny, irreverent look at new age spirituality, wellness trends, and the eternal human desire to feel like the universe has a plan. This humor podcast doesn't judge the woo. It just asks a lot of questions about it.

Andrew and James tackle the holiday season in this comedy podcast episode; the traditions, the chaos, the Christmas trees that seemed smaller at the lot, and the annual question of whether you actually have enough gas to make this road trip work. A funny, relatable conversation about holiday rituals, family obligations, and the logistical nightmare that is December. If you love Christmas humor and can relate to holiday stress, this is your comedy podcast episode.

Andrew and James mash up Thanksgiving and Halloween in this comedy podcast episode, covering fall holidays, questionable seasonal decor choices, and the strange intersection of gratitude and horror. A funny conversation about the two biggest holidays that somehow always end up colliding in the calendar and in the grocery store. This is the Thanksgiving humor podcast episode you didn't know you needed, now with 100% more Halloween energy.

Andrew and James celebrate Halloween in this comedy podcast episode with pumpkin carving disasters, costume debacles, and genuinely chilling stories told with questionable dramatic effect. A funny, festive conversation about the best holiday of the year, the one where adults have a socially acceptable reason to eat candy and dress like idiots. If you love Halloween humor, scary story podcasts, and pumpkin content, this is the comedy episode for you.

Andrew and James get into a deeply funny conversation about maple syrup; where it comes from, what it really is, and why the process of tapping a tree for its amber liquid is both miraculous and slightly unsettling. This comedy podcast episode also covers personal reinvention and the kind of massive food moments that change a person. A funny food and nature podcast episode that asks: is it tree blood, or is it breakfast?

Andrew and James uncover a comedy podcast episode full of unexpected twists; condiment opinions that will cause relationship damage, the thrill of finding something lost, and betrayals so sweet they almost don't sting. A funny, wide-ranging conversation covering food preferences, treasure hunting, and the unique satisfaction of dijon mustard on something it has no business being on. This humor podcast episode rewards listeners who like their conversations tangy and unpredictable.

Andrew and James improvise their way through a comedy podcast episode covering music disasters, an obsession with all things cold, and the future; which they approach with the same total lack of expertise they bring to every topic. A funny, freewheeling humor podcast conversation that proves improv is sometimes better with no plan at all, especially when the topic involves frozen things and cars that don't exist yet.

Andrew and James rule over a comedy podcast kingdom this episode, covering spider encounters that escalated beyond reason, the quiet majesty of woodworking, and the hero who shows up exactly when you need them most, usually at the most inconvenient time. A funny conversation about the small dramas of suburban life, backyard wildlife, and the people who somehow sleep through everything. This humor podcast episode is for everyone who has ever found something in their mailbox they did not ask for.

Andrew and James go full summer camp mode in this comedy podcast episode; brotherhood, bad swimming decisions, and the kind of jobs that sound fun until you're actually doing them. A funny, nostalgic conversation about summer memories, outdoor adventures gone sideways, and the bonds forged when people spend too much time together in the heat without air conditioning. If you love funny stories about outdoor misadventures and summer humor, this is your comedy episode.

Andrew and James have a deeply funny conversation in this comedy podcast episode about near-drowning escapes, the one condiment that makes a sandwich sacred, and potatoes, the most quietly loyal vegetable in the world. A humor podcast episode that covers maritime near-misses, the food opinions that define a person, and why some carbs just hit different. For everyone who takes their sandwich construction seriously and their swimming less so.

Andrew and James go where few comedy podcasts dare to tread in this episode; the bathroom. Specifically, the bewildering array of products that now exist for a room that used to just have a toilet and a bar of soap. A funny, universal conversation about bathroom culture, consumer choices nobody asked for, and the opinions everyone has but pretends they don't. This humor podcast episode covers the rolls, the balls, the beads, and the complete absurdity of the modern bathroom product aisle.

Andrew and James get into some genuinely strange territory in this comedy podcast episode. Ancient recordings preserved in wood, a business venture that went exactly as wrong as it sounds, and the economy of doing things for clams. A funny, weird humor podcast conversation that wanders into history, entrepreneurship, and the kind of side hustle that sounds good at the beginning and terrible by the end.  

Andrew and James celebrate the third annual Fairly Harmless giveaway in this comedy podcast episode, plus a visit to burger country that did not go as planned, and ATV adventures that probably should have had more safety briefing. A funny episode that covers podcast milestones, fast food misfortune, and the particular chaos of motorized vehicles in the hands of people who are very enthusiastic but only moderately competent. Luck, fate, and French fries.

Andrew and James explore the strange intersection of nature, steampunk engineering, and movies that were maybe a little too sweet in this comedy podcast episode. A funny conversation covering animals that are very good at hiding (until they're not), the enduring appeal of steam-powered flying machines that never quite existed, and films so earnest they circle back around to charming. This humor podcast episode is for people who like their banter mechanized and their cinema unexpectedly wholesome.

Andrew and James crown themselves kings of the cobblestone in this comedy podcast episode covering getting completely, confidently lost, the deep pleasures of vinyl record collecting, and outdoor trail adventures that tested their limits and their knees. A funny conversation about navigation failures, music obsession, and the trails that look manageable on a map until you're actually on them. This humor podcast episode is for directionally challenged music lovers who still believe they can hike.

Pointless banter about transcendent tumbling, extravagant curios and an astral ancestor.

Pointless banter about derelict diversions, tech tunnel vision and illusions of grandeur.

Pointless banter about the pursuit of the truth, alternate history gaming and fair use fun.

Pointless banter about mathematical inquisition, trebuchet troubles and French fry infernos.

Pointless banter about forthcoming communal diversion, ancient emblems and trekking with ground round. 

Pointless banter about covert operative analysis, cosplay sparring, and celestial trickery.

Pointless banter about getting swindled on confections, motorcar maintenance and backwoods romances.

Pointless banter about density vs distance, alien mammals and statistically improbable success over time.

Pointless banter about derelicts of winter, bovine rituals and the smorgasbord of defeat.

Andrew and James welcome Woody for a year-in-review that reviews almost none of the year. They cover sequels that beat the original, whether the British ever had a Wild West, and the mortality statistics for single men. Then things get personal. James unknowingly gave Andrew jelly beans from a Bean Boozled box. What follows is a reckoning, a resentment, and an on-mic jelly bean revenge arc that ends with someone dangerously close to vomiting. Also discussed: the Wizard of Oz's entire cast as a personality framework, Darth Maul's underrated villain energy, a time-travel business model that is morally indefensible. It's a year in review where almost no year gets reviewed. Exactly as intended.

The Fairly Harmless Holiday Extravaganza is here! Hosts James and Andrew welcome first-ever female guest Betty and holiday spirit animal Omar Jones for a chaotic yuletide roundtable covering the Die Hard Christmas movie debate, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Bad Santa, Elf, Scrooged, Muppet Christmas Carol and whether It's a Wonderful Life deserves its reputation. Additionally Elf on the Shelf as a full parental psyop, figgy pudding, Atari trauma, Star Trek ornaments, and the single greatest Christmas tree story ever recorded. It starts with fidget spinners as heartfelt gifts. It ends with an off-key Jingle Bells nobody asked for. Everything in between is pure holiday magic. 'Tis the season to be Fairly Harmless, missing the point since forever.

Pointless banter about distant foreshadowing, executive function explorations and in vogue innovation. Enjoying the Show? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify, it helps more people find our unique brand of "comedy".

James and Andrew are back to waste your time more efficiently than ever. This episode opens with a holiday Yule log DVD, yes, a DVD, about a fake fireplace from the seventies, and somehow gets weirder from there.  Topics covered: a James Bond ranking homework assignment nobody asked for, a sequel-movie debate that may never actually happen, and two grown men presenting eyewitness evidence of confirmed time travelers living among us.  Also on the agenda: a Dungeons & Dragons road rage simulator where incompetent left-turners trigger a combat encounter. A YouTube rabbit hole into competitive chili pepper eating with no prize except the suffering. And a closing segment about a phrase Andrew dreamed up which James claims no credit for and absolutely should. Missing the point since the beginning. Fairly Harmless. You're welcome.

Omar Jones joins Andrew and James for a round of "What's in the Box," braves the Fast Eddy Experience, and sits through a full unpacking of the Mandela Effect and the time travelers walking among us. Omar makes a blood pact with the boys about how he wants to be distributed at end of life. Tarantino gets ranked. Dune gets defended. Christopher Nolan gets a polite warning. If you like long-form nonsense between friends who shouldn't be trusted with microphones, this is the one.

Andrew and James are back with a new studio setup, a pile of listener feedback, and absolutely no plan. The guys ease into a freewheeling conversation that somehow manages to touch on merchandising empires, future podcast concepts, a heated consumer complaint, and what may genuinely be the greatest business idea of the 21st century. There's a moment in this episode where you'll think they've finally gone too far. They haven't. It gets better. If you're new to Fairly Harmless, this is a solid place to start. If you're already a fan, you know exactly what you're in for, and you're not wrong.

Together with special guest Ed, the boys somehow connect Gilligan's Island to the Illuminati, propose a Purge-style holiday exclusively for geese, and uncover the military's secret coast-to-coast underground maglev trains running Portland to Portland. Also covered: TikTok challenges that should exist, why Mary Ann's boyfriend was almost certainly fake and why Goodfellas might be the best worst comfort movie ever made. Three is the magic number. Nobody learned anything useful, which is kind of the point.

The Fairly Harmless podcast finally breaks the two-man format and welcomes its first ever guest, Shua from Duncan, North Carolina, the spiritual home of Duncan Hines cake mix. What follows is what Andrew and James doing what they do best, which is failing to stay on topic while their guest goes with the flow. The crew tackles the truly important questions: Did the Monopoly guy ever have a monocle? Is Bill Pullman dead or are we thinking of Bill Paxton? Do fish get thirsty? The gang debates parallel universes, the Mandela Effect and someone admits to picking all the good flavors out of a Jelly Belly assortment. Turkey sausages make an appearance. So does the patented Shua fart technique, perfected in community college. Pour one out for John Candy. The third broken axle on the truck of terror has been installed. Fairly Harmless rolls on.

Pointless banter about moving picture shows, music theory and courtship rituals.

James had a vision at a yard sale: a pizza restaurant that opens at nine in the morning. Andrew thought this was brilliant. Everyone else at the yard sale did not.  This episode also features a genuinely compelling pitch for a professional insult delivery service where hired randos approach your enemies, say something devastating, and vanish forever. Passive aggressive? Sure. A legitimate business opportunity? These two think so. James came home from the yard sale with DVDs instead of money: Fletch, The Tao of Steve, and a Yule log DVD that he will tell you about at length. It's a Northeastern Christmas television tradition. He's very excited.  Also: someone got confused about the name of the game cornhole and the whole thing went sideways immediately. No further questions.

Two guys, 11pm, downtown Raleigh. Andrew got a haircut from a barber whose hands would not stop shaking and stayed in the chair anyway. James broke two lawn chairs in the same month. By the end of the episode they are working out the physics of surviving a free fall out of a plane using a bazooka and a broken lawn chair as a parachute. Also there's a hilarious discussion about wearing glasses that look like Elton John picked them out. This is Fairly Harmless, missing the point as always.

Pointless banter about eateries, sound and parallel universes vs insanity.

Andrew and James open up with James confidently mixing up Tommy Lasorda and Tony La Russa. Two different people, two different teams. Not even close. The NBA takes a beating next. Neither host has cared much since the Jordan-Pippen Bulls, and they will tell you exactly why. College ball is a different story: real teamwork, real stakes, and an NC State shoutout for good measure. Then things get entrepreneurial. James pitches Shelf, a dating app for people who can balance a plate of food on their stomach, and the brainstorm spirals into a full graveyard of cursed app names: Doormat, Wrench, Turkey Baster, Meat Mallet. The episode closes with an enthusiastic, completely unpaid endorsement of Prime Barbecue in Knightdale, and a nod to Longleaf Swine in Raleigh, who referred the business to a competitor when their equipment failed before a catering job rather than just canceling. Integrity in the barbecue industry. It exists.

Two guys from Raleigh walk into a podcast and immediately get sidetracked by Grey Poupon, grocery store rankings, and a secondhand audio interface bought at 3am on eBay. Welcome to Fairly Harmless. In the debut episode of Fairly Harmless, Andrew and James officially introduce themselves, explain how they deleted the actual first episode, and somehow turn a conversation about mustard into a meditation on sriracha trademark law, space monkeys, and whether the thug life chose them or they chose it. There's also an ASMR detour and a Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor reference that makes complete sense in context. Intelligent and insightful are words other podcasts use to describe themselves. This is Fairly Harmless. We're missing the point from the very beginning, with musical accompaniment by The Boston Horns.