Former Trump advisor Rick Gates (Andrew Hansen) isn’t just a person of interest in the Mueller investigation, he’s also a very good boy. He talks to Mark and Pete about what he has in common with Spongebob and Mueller’s baby blue eyes, but can’t resist some gross-looking but delicious candy. Plus: The Hard boys get some shocking news.

As promised, Paul F. Tompkins releases the damaged audio from the 2018 San Francisco SketchFest featuring special guests Tony Hale, Eugene Cordero, Tawny Newsome, Little Janet Varney, and Eban (only the best) Schletter on piano.

Friend of the show Paul F. Tompkins joins Howard, Stard, and Kevin for this week’s Who Charted! First, the gang bonds closer together as they count down a Music Chart for the five stages of grief. Then, we hear the Movie Chart while Paul shares his Oscar thoughts as well as what he’d do to jazz up the ceremony. Plus, Paul explains why he hasn’t gone to space and everyone shares their favorite fish.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace (code: CHARTED) and Hims.

Adam Scott Aukerman are back this week to talk all about R.E.M.’s second studio album Reckoning. They’ll dive deep into each track including the B-sides. Plus, we’ll hear about Springsteen on Broadway, The Last Jedi, and running times of films in a new episode of “I Love Films.”

This episode is brought to you by Leesa (www.leesa.com/REM) and Spotify.

Comedians Maeve Higgins (Maeve In America, StarTalk) & Brian McCann (Conan, The Who Was? Show) join Jo & Manolo to play listener-created games with callers. 

Games played: A Very British Gameshow, Blockbuster Bagel Video, and The Blame Game.

Musical improviser and rap champion Ross Bryant joins Zach and Jess this week for a trippy musical with David Bowie raps, cavemen, dinosaurs, aliens, and somehow SO much more. With songs like “Relic of Music”, “David Bowie: An Alien For Real” and “Crack Team”, your ears won’t believe what planet you’re on. 

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: OFFBOOK), Better Help (www.betterhelp.com/OFFBOOK), and Leesa (www.leesa.com/OFFBOOK).

Coach of the Marina Del Rey High football team Kevin Alamo (Chris Kula) joins Marissa and Listler for this week’s WOMP IT UP! Coach Alamo gives Marissa tips on finding the one person to complete her and explains why he left his native Texas during Hot Topics. Plus, we hear about Coach Alamo’s issues with the school mascot and find out what’s going on with his wife during “What’s Cheesing You,” and Marissa & Listler help him prepare for a confrontation with a role-play exercise on Listler’s Love Lockdown.

Actress Kristen Bell joins Emily and Deanna this week to explore her inner youth! We’ll hear why Kristen only gets to choose the radio station when it rains, why she doesn’t care about Instagram comments, and what goes into her bag of drinks. Plus, she reads handwritten notes from middle school and shares her thoughts on everything from how our apps manipulate us to the benefits of pea milk.

This episode is sponsored by Kensington Publishing and ThirdLove.

Sean and Hayes have a new way to get good guests with PETER SERAFINOWICZ and GRIFFIN NEWMAN from The Tick.

This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron and Hims.

How did this self-described East Coast dirtbag go from selling drugs out of his mom’s minivan to doing brain surgery? His answer: Donnie Darko. Gethard asks him some hard hitting questions like: What skills acquired in drug dealing are useful as a brain surgeon? Why did he go vegan? Can he control a monkey’s brain with a special USB stick?

This episode is brought to you by Mack Weldon (www.mackweldon.com code: STORIES), RXBAR (www.rxbar.com/beautiful code: BEAUTIFUL), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and Care/Of (www.takecareof.com code: STORIES).

A Kevin’s Stars of Tomorrow episode with comedian James Heaney! His stories of being mugged are priceless! Yes, more than one…

This episode is brought to you by Just For Men (www.jfmgrowhair.com code: Regrowth25).

Dashiell Driscoll (Funny or Die) joins Jensen and Matty to talk about Zack Morris Is Trash, A Very Special Episode, musician Demo Taped, It’s It Ice Cream, how we were late on Black Panther, and many more things you should know about.

If recent interviews with music legend Quincy Jones are any indication, every famous musician hangs out with every other famous musician (and yes, we know Quincy Jones also said……other stuff). Which kind of makes sense, right? Once you’re in that upper echelon of winning Grammys and living in the Hollywood Hills, you’d probably at least run into each other at whatever the rich people equivalent of 7-Eleven is (8-Twelve?). But here’s the amazing thing: a lot of those hangouts almost led to bands and team-ups that would’ve changed the course of music history.

On this week’s episode of The Cracked Podcast, Alex Schmidt is joined by Jack O’Brien and Miles Gray (The Daily Zeitgeist) for a reunion of sorts, as they mentally reunite music legends who almost built mind-blowing awesomeness together. And we’re not just talking “the Beatles do more stuff” awesomeness. We’re talking “Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis BECOME A BAND” AWESOMENESS.

Footnotes: https://goo.gl/yUq29X

Paul Rust and Claudia O’Doherty of Netflix’s LOVE return to this week’s Comedy Bang! Bang! They chat about getting haircuts on the set, Claudia’s typewriter, and Paul shares some New No-Nos. Then, musicians and geologists Bashford and Franklin stop by to sing a duet and to tell us how did they got interested in science. Plus, an exciting game of Would You Rather!

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: BANGBANG), ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/CBB), Black Tux (www.blacktux.com/BANGBANG), and Rover (www.rover.com/bangbang).

Paul F. Tompkins welcomes gigglers and laughers to Spontaneanation! This time out, Paul’s special guest is actor and comedian Tony Hale of Arrested Development and Veep! Tony chats about whether or not he would invite himself somewhere, the size of a party mattering to him, and not wanting to be sit next to strangers at a wedding. Then, they are joined by Eugene Cordero, Tawny Newsome, and Little Janet Varney, to improvise a story set in a Baskin-Robbins. And as always, Eban (only the best) Schletter scores it all on piano!

This episode is brought to you by Leesa (www.leesa.com/PFT).

Gilbert and Frank check in with one of their favorite performers, actor-writer-director DAVE THOMAS, who talks about his years with Second City (and SCTV), his transition to dramatic series writing, his admiration for Bob Hope and his working relationships with Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Tom Poston and Martin Short. Also, Richard Harris gets rough, Buck Henry storms out, Gilbert dances with John Travolta and Mel Blanc plays Dave’s dad. PLUS: “The New Show”! The origin of Bob and Doug McKenzie! Yasser Arafat hits the links! Dave praises Al Jaffee! And the comedy stylings of Max von Sydow!

This episode is brought to you by Babbel (www.babbel.com/GILBERT code: GILBERT), Just For Men (www.jfmgrowhair.com code: Regrowth25), and Leesa (www.leesa.com/GILBERT).

Our three year anniversary show. It’s time to learn more about the traveling acting troupe, the Cockticklers.

Credits:

Arnie: Arnie Niekamp

Chunt: Adal Rifai

Usidore: Matt Young

Winky Silks: Joey Bland

Michael Gunch: Ross Bryant

Mysterious Man: Tim Sniffen

Craig: Ryan DiGiorgi

Tricia: Kate James

Producers: Arnie Niekamp, Evan Jacover, Ryan DiGiorgi

Editor: Ryan DiGiorgi

Theme Music: Andy Poland

Magic Tavern Logo: Allard Laban

Audio Assistance: Jason Knox

Production Assistance: Garrett Schultz

Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang! Bang!) come together once again as superfan Adam Scott Aukerman–but this time to discuss the music and impact of the band R.E.M. In this first episode, Scott and Scott share how they initially encountered the music of R.E.M. before launching into a track-by-track breakdown of the group’s first EP, Chronic Town.

Kondabolu Brothers is coming to Earwolf starting March 8th!

Comedian Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio, Mystery Science Theater 3000) joins Paul, June, and Jason to discuss the 1992 sports-comedy Ladybugs starring Rodney Dangerfield.

This week, the incomparable Todd Glass (Act Happy [youtube.com], The Todd Glass Show [itunes.apple.com]) joins Dave and Matt in the studio to talk about everything from Dr. Phil to Family Guy, flowers and fire pits, and opening up about the struggles of coming out, identity and so much more. Plus, a discussion on the words “cute” and “boyfriend”, and going deep on the process of self-definition.

Mack Weldon (code: HOMO) and Tripping.com.

Writer and comedian Benari Poulten (The Nightly Show) and bona fide Republican Evan Siegfried (Fox News) join Negin to chat about Hope Hicks’ resignation and the plethora of recent Jared Kushner scandals. They also recap Trump’s televised meeting with lawmakers about gun policy and his surprising comments on due process. Lastly, most mass shooters are men. Why is this? The panel goes deep on masculinity and how we are raising our men.

This episode is sponsored by The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition, HelloFresh (code: FAKE30), and Color of Change.

Cam and Rhea talk cruises, Dan Stevens and Disneyland. Sets from Liz Miele, Devon Walker and Emma Willmann, and chats with Garfunkel and Oates and Hari Kondabolu.

This week, Bryan talks about the new law in Georgia restriction adoptions for same sex couple and Senator Nan Orrock’s apt response. Then, Erin breaks down the scandal surrounding Missouri governor Eric Greitens and why it shows us that revenge porn is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Guest Grace Parra joins to discuss the DACA deadline, understanding the reality of deportation, and what inspired her interest in politics.

This episode is sponsored by EverlyWell (code: SHADE).

Musical guest Noah Gundersen joins Eugene Cordero, Toni Charline, and Matt Besser for this week’s improv4humans! Noah plays songs off his latest album White Noise that inspire scenes about how often Jesus washes his beard, hiring a stripper based on musical taste, and a relationship mystic with dubious aims. Plus, a prom queen gets recognized later in life and a nerdy kid must audition for a sports team.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace (code: IMPROV) and NBC’s A.P. Bio.

Dan Misener and Steve Pratt of Pacific Content join Lex and Chris on the Wolf Den. The four discuss the early days and learning curves of branded content podcasts, how their time in traditional broadcasting prepared them for the industry, and the process and philosophies regarding their work.

This episode is brought to you by Today, Explained.

Listen in to learn about Pardcast-a-thon 2018, Never Not Funny’s 12-hour livestream charity event for Smile Train, and hear how you can be a contestant on the next season of Playing Games!