Mind Gap

It finally happened. After roughly 10 years of ignoring something he absolutely should not have been ignoring, Doug ended up in a surgical center getting a very sensitive situation taken care of and somehow, his 10-year-old daughter was along for part of the ride. The full story involves a general practitioner, a urologist, a stethoscope used in a way Doug did not expect, a surgical jock strap, and an alarming amount of cranberry juice in the recovery room. It's equal parts hilarious and a genuine PSA: guys, go to the damn doctor. Justin backs it up with a story about his own dad that makes the message hit even harder. But first: Spirit Airlines is gone. Like, overnight, lights off, sign on the door, gone. Doug and Justin break down what actually happened, what it means for airfare prices, and the wildly ambitious TikTok proposal from a guy who wants regular people to just... buy the airline. Practical Doug has thoughts. Then it's a hard pivot to movies. Doug reviews Marty Supreme (Timothée Chalamet at his most unlikable — somehow four stars) and Dust Bunny (Mads Mikkelsen, a child, a hitman, and a monster under the bed — filmed in Budapest, definitely not America). Plus a quick Project Hail Mary and Natalie update. Game time: Doug plays audio clips from classic films and Justin has to identify the movie. This round features quotes from The Rock, Top Gun, and a Morgan Freeman line that stumped Justin longer than it should have. This week's recommendations: 🎬 Justin — Eddington (Pedro Pascal & Joaquin Phoenix in a pandemic-era slow burn. Stress warning applies.) 🎬 Doug — Dust Bunny (streaming on HBO. Weird, beautiful, and worth it.) Subscribe: youtube.com/mindgappodcast  Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/T3HwyEw5v7  Listen everywhere you get podcasts  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mindgappodcast Merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/67768184

Doug's 10-year-old daughter Natalie finally sat down to watch The Martian and her reaction was everything. Sweaty palms, emotional investment, and a death grip on dad's hand during the finale. Is she officially a movie person now? We think so. But that's just the beginning. This week Justin and Doug go deep on the art of introducing kids to classic films: what lands, what doesn't, and why a 10-year-old has exactly zero interest in Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Space Jam. From The Martian to Top Gun: Maverick, Alien, Jaws, Indiana Jones, Gremlins, and the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we rank, debate, and reminisce about the movies that shaped us and wonder which ones are ready for the next generation. Then we play The Verdict: our Letterboxd review guessing game where Doug reads real (and absolutely unhinged) user reviews and Justin tries to guess the star rating and the movie. This round features reviews for Donnie Darko, La La Land, 28 Days Later, Midsommar, Companion, and a "Roses are red, violets are blue" review for 500 Days of Summer that you will not see coming. Plus: gym etiquette crimes, weight droppers, weight hoarders, filming yourself at the gym, and the chaotic state of dumbbell organization at Doug's LA Fitness. This week's recommendations: Justin: Go support your local ballet, orchestra, or performing arts company. You might surprise yourself. Doug: Potion Seller (Grand Rapids, MI). Check out their new single Irish Exit and their upcoming album Buzzard dropping May 15th. 📺 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/mindgappodcast  💬 Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/T3HwyEw5v7  🎧 Listen everywhere you get podcasts  ❤️ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mindgappodcast 👕 Merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/67768184  

Ever feel uneasy staring into deep, dark water? You're not alone.   In this episode of Mind Gap Podcast, Doug and Justin dive into the very real fear of deep water (also known as thalassophobia) and how it connects to other bizarre (and surprisingly common) phobias like submechanophobia (the fear of submerged man-made objects).   What starts as a simple conversation quickly turns into a deep (and slightly unhinged) exploration of:   - How movies like Jaws can create lifelong fears - Why the ocean feels so terrifying even when nothing's there - Horror games that tap into our deepest anxieties - Weird, hyper-specific fears that make zero sense… until they do   From childhood trauma to real-life experiences in deep water, we break down why these fears stick with us—and why they might never fully go away.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

Are books being updated for modern audiences… or quietly rewritten?   We came across a debate that's been gaining traction: older books are being edited to replace outdated references (like TV shows) with modern ones (like TikTok). On the surface, it seems harmless, but does it change the story more than we think?   In this episode, we dig into:   - Should books be modernized to stay relevant? - Where's the line between accessibility and rewriting history? - Are we underestimating readers by making these changes? - And what happens when technology updates break the original story?   It starts with one small change… but it raises a much bigger question: Are we preserving stories or reshaping them?   We also spiral into:   - Whether 90s games trained us to think differently - The psychology of failure vs instant gratification - And a completely normal question about taking $50 million… with consequences   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

At one point, the wait time hit 3 hours… and we got there at park open. Theme parks are supposed to be magical. So why does it feel like you're paying hundreds of dollars just to stand in line?   In this episode, we break down the modern theme park experience. From insane wait times and $300 Express Passes to overpriced food and the weird psychological game of "we've already waited this long, we can't leave now."   We chat about: - Why theme park wait times feel worse than ever - The truth about Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure - Is an Express Pass actually worth $260–$340 per person? - The stunning reality of Epic Universe and why it almost works - The psychology of standing in line for hours - When a ride is actually worth a 2–3 hour wait - Why theme park food is usually a scam, except when it isn't   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

You find extra cash. The cashier undercharges you. Your ex's Netflix still works. Do you say something… or just accept that the universe has chosen you?   In this episode, we build The Morality Meter: a completely unscientific (but brutally honest) system for ranking everyday "victimless crimes." From free refills and password sharing to accidentally keeping things that definitely aren't yours, we're figuring out where the line actually is and how often we cross it.   Some of these feel harmless. Some of these will haunt you at 3am. And some… you'll defend way harder than you expected.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug rejoins Justin as the two kick things off with a fun Reddit story which sparks a wide ranging discussion about work and how everyone is just making it up as they go. Doug then regales Justin with stories from his recent trip to New York, which also happened to be his first time there. Justin and Doug fawn over the city, cringe at some of the stuff Doug witnessed on his morning walks, and celebrate Doug finally meeting his friend of 22 years in person for the first time!    Things are wrapped up with a game inspired by Doug's trip where Justin gives him 3 New York city laws, but only one is real while the other two are fake. Doug must tap into his practical side to figure out which one would land him in jail.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin is joined by Mind Gap all star, Chris Vellucci, while Doug is on special assignment in New York. They kick things off by Justin asking Chris a question he's been wanting to ask for quite some time, "how do you visualize a calendar?" This turns into a debate about how each season ranks against the others. Once that's settled, Chris tells Justin what he's been up to for the past 8 months and about a whitewater rafting trip he's going on in the Grand Canyon. Chris's upcoming adventure leads Justin to inform Chris of a truly wild race called the Barkley Marathons. It won't do it justice to elaborate here, you'll just have to listen to hear how wild this gets.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called 3 in 5, where Chris has 5 seconds to list 3 things belonging to categories Justin has curated.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin dive into a "what would you do" based on another Reddit story, this one involving a student who accidentally submitted erotic fan fiction to their professor instead of their term paper. Doug then tells Justin a tale about an unwanted timeshare pitch that happened at a hotel while spending a weekend in the Wisconsin Dells. Needless to say, Practical Doug and Justice Doug were very much on edge. The dorks finally make it to the main topic, when a sequel accidentally rewrites the moral of the original. They discuss examples like Jurassic Park, Rocky, Rambo, Wall Street, Star Wars, and X-Men.   Things are wrapped up with a game of Tagline Trivia, where Justin reads three taglines for a movie and Doug has to pick which one is the real one.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin kick things off with another Reddit story, this one involving a roommate's questionable use of peanut butter. We're going to leave it there. The dorks then find their way to the main topic, if superheroes had to follow real laws who is going to jail first? The guys cover the ethical conundrums that would face everyone from Superman to Punisher and Iron Man to Captain America.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin triumphantly returns from his hiatus! Doug and Justin dive right into a story shared on Reddit about a woman getting revenge on her cheating ex by involving his father. Woof. The dorks then move into their main topic, exploring media that made them feel dumb (maybe in a good way) as children. They discuss themes they initially missed in films such as Fight Club, Jurassic Park, Office Space, and Ghostbusters.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another episode of MindGap podcast! This week, Doug is joined by a very special guest host - his brother, Dave! The dorks start by talking about awkward job interviews and personal blunders. Next, they explore the lessons that pop culture taught them that they had to unlearn as adults, such as misconceptions about hard work, the unrealistic portrayals of love in movies, and the idea of the lone genius or chosen one.    Things are wrapped up with a game made just for Dave, who is a huge fan of Warhammer 40k. Doug plays Fact or Fiction: Warhammer 40k edition to test Dave's knowledge of the lore.   Check out our YouTube channel! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another episode of Mind Gap Podcast! Doug is joined by guest host Noah Reno as they chat about the creative process behind Dragon Ball Abridged, humorous roommate dilemmas, and the unexpected life skills learned from video games. They discuss how gaming experiences can reflect real-life situations, such as inventory management and work ethic, the importance of communication, intentionality, and how these experiences in gaming translate to everyday life. The dorks explore the various life skills that video games inadvertently teach us as players like the delayed gratification of grinding levels, the importance of pattern recognition and systems thinking, emotional regulation, and learning from failure.    Things are wrapped up with a special game just for Noah where he has to decide fact from fiction in Overwatch lore.   Check out our YouTube channel where you can watch our episodes! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin explore a provocative scenario involving unexpected family dynamics and how it would likely change the way you view your parents forever. The dorks then move into their main topic - the most emotionally unprepared they've been for a movie or TV show. They break down moments in entertainment history that either delivered a character's unexpected demise, betrayals, endings that didn't feel great, and all the times they were unexpectedly taught grief when they were just trying to enjoy a movie.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where you can watch our episodes! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another episode of Mind Gap Podcast! In this episode Doug is joined by guest co-host Seth Trammell as they tackle a Reddit post about workplace dynamics, specifically discussing the awkwardness of mandatory affirmation circles during lunch breaks.   Next, the dorks discuss video game morality, how players' emotional connections to NPCs (non-playable characters) have evolved over time. They chat about games like Shadow of the Colossus, Bioshock, Undertale, and Red Dead Redemption 2, where player decisions with NPCS lead to significant emotional consequences.    Things are wrapped up with a game segment just for Seth where he has to decide whether a statement about Final Fantasy is either fact or fantasy!   Check out our YouTube channel where you can watch our episodes! Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin begin with a bizarre Reddit story about a guy and his emotionally ambitious roommate. This leads the dorks into a conversation about behaviors people have that don't seem weird until you compare notes with other people. The guys finally land on their main topic for the week, all the ways apocalypse movies get things wrong. They discuss everything from food scarcity to ammo math to boredom and more.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin are back after a few weeks of rest over the holidays. Justin shares a few gym experiences with Doug including someone rocking a Christian podcast at full volume in the locker room and someone who decided to get up close and personal with the dumbbell rack. The dorks recount the boardgames they played while Doug and his family visited Justin and Beth in Grand Rapids and then Doug poses a hypothetical question to Justin that involves a risky ocean challenge for a large sum of money. The guys then move into their main topic of how they have begun to see the villain's perspective of things as they've gotten older. Some of the villains the nerds seem to side with include Magneto, Killmonger, Thanos, The Joker, along with an uncomfortable amount of others.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Justin reads out patch notes for real life and Doug has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin kick things off by figuring out why Doug is so adverse to hanging stuff on his walls. Doug then rightfully brags to Justin about going to the dentist for the first time in over a decade and having zero cavities. Flossing FTW! This leads to a discussion on the importance of staying on top of your health as you get older. Finally the dorks arrive at the main topic of the week - the worst fictional inventions they thought were cool as kids. Our hosts go through everything from hoverboards to lightsabers, proton packs to the Megazord, and so much more   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin share how they spent their Thanksgivings. The dorks then discuss the uncomfortable, and oftentimes unnecessary, icebreakers that precede team meetings. Doug shares a specific instance that happened recently and how he may have misread the room. The dorks then spend a bit of time just talking about mac & cheese…deal with it. Our hosts finally make their way to the main topic, fictional tools that would instantly be abused IRL. They cover things such as the time-turner and invisibility cloak from Harry Potter, replicator from Star Trek, and the Neuralyzer from Men in Black among other things.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Justin reads out patch notes for real life and Doug has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

In this episode of the Mind Gap Podcast, Doug and special co-host, Eric Drezner, dive into the world of Dungeons & Dragons, discussing favorite monsters, homebrew creations, and the challenges of DMing. They share personal experiences and the joy of friendship through gaming. The conversation then shifts to a critical analysis of doomsday devices in media, particularly focusing on the Death Star from Star Wars and the League of Shadows' fear gas plan from Batman Begins. They explore the logistics, economics, and storytelling complexities behind these iconic elements, highlighting the flaws and absurdities that often accompany them. Things are wrapped up with another round of "Guess the movie from the audio clip."   Check out our YouTube channel for full video episodes, clips, and other fun content.   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin start off with a few stories. Justin enrages Doug by recounting an experience of being caught in a line of cars that stretched over a quarter mile, all waiting to get into a newly opened Raising Cane's. After venting on the absolute absurdity of this, Doug lightens the mood with a story about how his daughter sent him her first GIF and how her sarcastic comedy chops are getting stronger. The dorks fanboy for a bit about Gunchpot's new Dragonball Abridged series on YouTube. Even if you're not in the Dragonball nerdom, you should still check out this incredible series. Finally, they spend the rest of the episode talking about why movies don't feel real anymore. From over-processed images to the rise of AI to a lack of risks being taken in storytelling, they do their best to nail down a logical reason.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin share which location they'd choose to haunt for eternity and how they'd mess with people as ghosts. Doug then shares a proud papa moment as he recites the first dark joke his daughter told him. The dorks move onto their main topic: what if you could reload a save point in real life? Would it kill the idea of personal growth since you no longer have to learn from mistakes? Would anyone carry regret for anything they did since they could simply reset things? Would this kind of power corrupt people? Spoiler, it absolutely would.    Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin kick things off with two stories. Doug shares a recent interaction at the grocery store where Justice Doug took the wheel and drove directly into confrontation. Justin then jumps in with an anecdote about his recent car trade-in which just about breaks Practical Doug. All the Dougs are featured in this week's episode! The dorks then pivot to their main topic of the worst fictional disease you could catch in real life. They go through everything from the T-Virus in Resident Evil to cordyceps from The Last of Us to Greyscale from Game of Thrones.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin decide which everyday inconvenience they would turn into a supervillain origin story. Is it trying to find the end of a roll of tape? Traffic jams? Spotty Wi-Fi?! BARBER SHOP RULES?! You'll just have to listen to find out. However, once the dorks finally feel satisfied in their answers, they move onto the main topic of the night: Which villain lairs would pass an OSHA inspection? Seriously, this is important stuff. Among the lairs they review are Bowser's Castle, the Death Star, and Mr. Freeze's headquarters. Perilous indeed.   Things are wrapped up with another round of "How Many Actors To Guess The Movie?" where Doug lists off actors from a movie and Justin has to try and guess the movie in as few actors as possible.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin decide if they had to replace their alarm clock with the voice of one fictional character, who would it be? Needless to say, spot-on accents and impressions abound. Once that's settled, the dorks move into a conversation about how easy it's becoming to identify AI writing and then share their continually evolving thoughts on the use of AI in creative mediums. The guys finally find their way to the main topic: how would current job skills survive in the past? They discuss the most and least transferable skillsets across the ages including mastering leaning methodologies, engineering and craftsmanship, culinary arts, and a litany of others.    Things are wrapped up with another round of "How Many Actors To Guess The Movie?" where Justin lists off actors from a movie and Doug has to try and guess the movie in as few actors as possible.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin figure out what ordinary thing in modern day life would absolutely terrify a medieval peasant. Regardless of the correct answer being "everything," our dorks still curate a selection of fine options to horrify someone brought forward from the past. Our hosts then move on to their main topic of which fictional jobs would pay big in real life, covering all sorts of careers from Witcher to Ghostbuster to Starfleet engineer to Jedi Knight.   Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin try to decide if the "Santa talk" needs to come before the "birds and the bees talk" with your kids. It's a tricky needle to thread but the guys eventually land on what they think is the most practical answer. The conversation then veers directly into a classic mind gap as the dorks free associate between topics spanning from Spartacus having an egregious amount of nudity to too much time between seasons of TV shows to people creating their own content via Sora 2.   Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin figure out how long they'd survive in a horror movie. Of course, it's not just a simple answer as they have to first figure out what type of horror movie they're in. Bottom line, neither are going to live long. Once they solve that mystery, the dorks dive into their main topic, which board games ruin friendships the fastest? They go through the obvious culprits such as Monopoly and Risk but also discuss some outliers like Uno or Catan.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin try to figure out what kind of quests they'd constantly fail at if their life was a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Once they feel like they've truly answered this question, Doug shares a little life update following events that happened around the recording of Ep500. The dorks then move on to their main topic, which fictional foods would be tempting or terrifying to try in real life? They discuss everything from Butterbeer to Lembas bread to whatever comes out of the Star Trek replicator.    Things are wrapped up with another round of How Many Actors To Guess The Movie. Justin lists off actors from a movie and Doug has to try and guess the movie in as few actors as possible.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin decide if they could know one fact about anyone they just met, what would it be and why would it be helpful. The dorks then move into the main topic, what if animals ruled the world. With the way things are headed, would we be better off with animals ruling? That's what our hosts are aiming to figure out. They go through which one species would sit at the top or would things run smoother with a council of animals? They also discuss potential animal policies and which animals would be best suited for which jobs in our workforce.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Justin plays clips from different movies and Doug does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin answer the question, if aliens landed tomorrow and asked you to show them around Earth, what would you show them first? Doug would immediately take them to his hometown in Missouri, but not for the reason you might think. Justin, on the other hand, is buying them all a round of Malört. The dorks then dive into their main topic of creating the craziest magic systems they can think of. A few of the systems that are pitched include Bureaucracy Bending, Mixology, Nostalgia Nudging, and Carpentarcana.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin is joined by Mind Gap All-Star, Seth Trammell as Doug takes some well deserved downtime. Justin and Seth kick things off by reflecting on the last time Seth co-hosted the podcast, exactly 100 episodes ago. At the time, Doug and Seth talked about the fact that AI was getting dumber. This time, Seth gives his updated take on AI and how he believes it's all a bubble that is about ready to burst. After a slew of hot takes, the dorks settle into their main topic: would they survive real and fictional survival scenarios? The conversation weaves them through everything from a bear attack to a zombie apocalypse to negotiating with Thanos to not include them in the snap.   Things are wrapped up with another round of AI vs LinkedIn Influencer, where Justin presents Seth with a handful of posts and Seth has to decide if they were created by AI or an insufferable LinkedIn "influencer."   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin ponder the question, if their lives had a 'skip intro' button, what mundane, repetitive part would they skip every single time? Doug mentions skipping small talk and this leads the guys into discussing fun, new ways Doug should handle door-to-door sales people moving forward. Our dorks then move into the main topic; inspired by the game Patch Notes Real Life Edition, they decided to do an entire episode focused on the horrors that would come from giving normal objects AI Brains. They discuss everything from couches to refrigerators and then the Mind Gap community gets a chance to throw their ideas in the ring.   Things are wrapped up with a new game Justin found on the Kaiser Boys Games Instagram account called, How Many Actors To Guess The Movie. Justin lists off actors from a movie and Doug has to try and guess the movie in as few actors as possible.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin explore the concept of personality types through the lens of food, discussing what type of food they would be and why. The dorks then shift to their main topic, using the D&D alignment chart, they explore the moral complexities of characters like Darth Vader, Dolores Umbridge, Magneto, the Operative from Serenity, Javert from Les Misérables, Agent Smith from The Matrix, and many more to determine which fictional villains are truly Lawful Evil.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin explore the weirdest food combinations they secretly love and some of their less savory eating habits. The dorks then delve into their main topic of discussing the most traumatizing scenes from kids' movies. Some of the films discussed are The Neverending Story, The Lion King, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Watership Down, E.T., and My Girl. By the end, our guys finally start to figure out why they're carrying around so much emotional baggage!   Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage. Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug is joined by his wonderful wife, Jill, as they consider which fictional universe they'd live in for a year with no consequences. Next, the nerds dive into the whimsical world of fictional exit interviews. From Frodo Baggins' perilous journey to Jason Bourne's identity crisis, they explore what it would be like if these iconic characters sat down for a candid chat about their 'work' experiences.    Things are wrapped up with a new game designed just for Jill: Quote or Not - WNBA edition. Jill has to figure out whether or not a quote is real and if it is who in the WNBA said it.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin reminisce about the most ridiculous things they believed as kids, the most universal belief being the existence of basement monsters. They then pivot to their main topic, workplace relationships in fictional universes, which was inspired by recent events at a Coldplay concert. The dorks sift through some of the most well known but problematic workplace romances in media, offer ideas for mandatory HR training in different fictional universes, and craft a custom official workplace romance policy for the MCU.   Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for a very special Mind Gap Podcast; IT'S OUR 500TH EPISODE! This week, Doug and Justin cede control of the show to Mind Gap All-Star, Noah Reno, as the dorks hop into the guest seat. With everyone together, in person at Skelletones in Grand Rapids, Noah takes the guys on a ride that can only be described as a Hot One. Through the course of 10 increasingly spicy chicken nuggets, Noah asks questions and reminisces with our heroes about the last decade of nerdy debates, hot takes, and fart jokes. What seemed like a good idea leading up to recording proved to be a nightmare on our plumbing. Thank you to everyone in the Mind Gap community for your support, and cheers to 10 more!   A huge thanks to Skelletones in Grand Rapids for giving us a place to be silly for a few hours.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin debate if they'd rather have a time machine or a teleportation device. With as much as they drag time travel on the show, it should be pretty easy to guess which way they lean. The dorks tease the 500th episode and Doug shares some unfortunate news - don't worry, everyone is alright. Our heroes then dive into the main topic of fictional sports they'd be champions at…or die trying. The guys go over sports such as Quidditch, podracing, various games from the Tron universe, robot fighting, pro-bending, BASEketball, and many more.    Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin figure out what their kryptonite would be if they were superheroes. Spoiler, spiders and onions are absolutely brought up. The dorks then turn their attention to their main topic: what do their multiverse selves look like? Our hosts dive into how small changes in life choices most definitely resulted in other versions of themselves living very different lives. The guys then review Discord submissions from the Mind Gap community about their own multiverse-selves before diving into a speed round of multiverse-inspired "what if" prompts.   Things are wrapped up with another round of Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Justin is joined by Mind Gap All-Star, Chris Vellucci! The guys kick things off by deciding what they'd change if they could redesign the human body. After hearing their ideas, we can all be thankful they weren't in charge of the original design. The dorks move onto their main topic of reboots. They discuss why some work, why some don't, and then share their opinions on which films should get the reboot treatment and which should be left alone - including The Goonies, Jaws, Barbie, Office Space, How to Train Your Dragon, The Iron Giant, and many more.   Things are wrapped up with the guys playing a game called "Guess That Movie From The Terrible Synopsis," where Justin reads a terrible one sentence synopsis of a movie and Chris has to guess which film he's describing.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin figure out what useless, but highly entertaining, survival skill they'd bring to the zombie apocalypse. Once they've fully proven themselves useless, the dorks turn their attention to the main topic: the best fictional jobs…and why they'd suck in real life. They explore jobs such as being a Jedi, a Ghostbuster, a Hogwarts professor, a game show host in the Hunger Games universe, and a few others before ending the discussion with a lightning round.   Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Justin has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Noah Reno is back again to chat with Doug about what underrated piece of media they wish more people talked about. Next, the dorks have fun discussing how to reimagine childhood board games as horror films. Candyland is pitched as eating the sugary characters to survive. Chutes and Ladders becomes a cosmic horror. Jenga is a tale of the world being destroyed by children. There are so many more pitches PLUS suggestions from the community on how they would turn these classic games into something scary. Next, the guys discuss what board game would make the best horror franchise. Spoiler: Monopoly is one of the easiest ones to do.    Things are wrapped up with a new game called Patch Notes: Real Life Edition, where Doug reads out patch notes for real life and Noah has to decide if they're good or if they should be scrapped as garbage. Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin talk about, potentially for the second time, what they'd do if they were invisible for 24 hours. Did they land on the same antics as the first time they discussed this? Obviously they have no idea, but if you remember please let them know! The guys then move on to their main topic: If you were the villain in different universes, how would you win? Our nerds give their takes on what villains such as Emperor Palpatine, Sauron, Syndrome, and Lord Voldemort could have done better. Then, with the roll of a die, they choose a fictional universe at random and lay out their grand plan for how to dominate it. The journey is brought to a close with our dorks sharing a few villainous submissions received on Discord from the incredible Mind Gap community.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin share some of their weirdest dreams. Fair warning…it gets weird and they likely should seek professional help. Justin then tells Doug about the pure madness that are melatonin-induced dreams and Doug shudders to think about where his already bonkers dreams would go if he took the sleep aid. The dorks move into their main topic of the episode - ultimate universe crossovers. They ponder what it would look like if Avatar: The Last Airbender crossed with My Hero Academia, if Breaking Bad crossed into The Boys, or if the Marvel Cinematic Universe found its way into the Lord of the Rings reality.    Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and special guest Noah Reno chat about who their favorite heroes and villains are and which one would win in a fight. The dorks then shift into the main topic of discussing which fantasy world has the best system of magic. The guys talk about Allomancy from Mistborn, bending from Avatar: The Last Airbender, alchemy from Harry Potter, and more. Next, they take a look at some overrated magical systems that were pretty inconsistent (looking at you, Harry Potter), hear what the fans think of their favorite magical systems, and Noah makes a pitch for his very own unique magical system!   Things are wrapped up with a special game of Fact or Bullshit featuring Dragon Ball Z and Sonic the Hedgehog.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin figure out which fictional gadget they'd want if they could have one. Justin foolishly picked the Iron Man suit and Doug promptly talked him out of it, likely saving his life in the process. It was a heroic move on Doug's part. The dorks then shift into the main topic of which side characters in film and TV stole the show. The guys talk about Tormund Giantsbane from Game of Thrones, Luis from Ant-Man, Han Solo, Samwise Gamgee, Garth Algar from Wayne's World, and a bunch more.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin decide which would make a better pet, a dragon or a unicorn. There's only one right answer and if you disagree, you're invited to change their minds. After settling that question, the dorks move into the main topic: which fictional heroes would be miserable to hang out with in real life? They go through a range of heroes from Captain America to Sherlock Holmes, Rick Sanchez to Yoda. If they missed any you think should be on the list, make sure to join the Mind Gap Discord and sound off!   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Justin plays clips from different movies and Doug does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin tackle an opening question that is the embodiment of Justin's nightmares. You're offered your dream house, but it comes with a tarantula the size of a small dog…do you take it? After shaking off that thought experiment, the guys shift to their main topic: if you were dropped into various fantasy worlds, what would be your chances of survival? The dorks about what they'd bring to survive in places like Middle Earth, Westeros, Forgotten Realms, The Wizarding World, and the Land of Oz.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now!   Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!  

It's time for another Mind Gap Podcast! This week, Doug and Justin decide whether they'd prefer the ability to read minds or control traffic signals. They dive into the potential drawbacks of mind reading and discuss if they'd succumb to the darker temptations that come with the power. They also ponder if controlling traffic signals would be worthwhile or just kind of a letdown. The conversation then transitions into the realm of time travel, where dorks establish rules and considerations for traveling to different eras, share their dream time travel destinations, and consider the things that could possibly go wrong in the process.   Things are wrapped up with another round of the movie clip guessing game, where Doug plays clips from different movies and Justin does his best to guess which films they're from.   Check out our YouTube channel where we livestream our new podcast episodes every Tuesday at 8pmCT and our video game stream every Saturday at 8pmCT. Be sure to like and subscribe for this content as well as episode highlights, Doug Watches Awkward Videos, Justin Plays Video games, and more!   We have MERCH now! Follow us on all of our social medias and other platforms!