🎙️ First Hour Analysis 🎙️

Analysis of Matt & Bob Show 10-31-2022 (First Third)

Food items/restaurants talked about:

• Pizza Skulls/Skullzones – Matt’s wife’s Halloween recipe (00:22 – multiple mentions)
• Sonoran hot dogs (24:44)
• Cream cheese covered in bacon (24:26)
• Stew or salad (24:46)
• Alex ring cake (24:48)
• Goondes fries (24:53)
• Luby’s restaurant (18:19)
• Bologna sandwich (31:47)

News stories talked about during this portion:

Florida Machete Man Story (12:06-13:36):

• Man in business attire wielding machete knocking on doors around 5:30 AM in Lauder Hill, Florida
• Tapping doors with machete via doorbell camera
• Police stepped up patrols but no crimes committed

Cemetery Recipe Headstones Story (15:01-20:14):

• Rosie Grant from Tacoma Park, Maryland discovered people putting recipes on headstones
• Found Naomi Odessa Miller Dawson’s cookie recipe on Brooklyn headstone
• Discussion about “taphophiles” (people who love headstones/cemeteries)
• Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. mentioned

“Click Click Boom” segment about:

This segment was not present in this portion of the transcript.

Funny moments or memorable quotes during this portion:

• “My culture is not your costume” joke about tacos (05:47)
• Bob refusing to give candy to anyone over 16 (06:49)
• “Cat ears is not a costume” (07:56)
• Matt’s wife making him almost unfireable with 13% Native American ancestry (04:12)
• Chewie being told to “spit in a vial” for ancestry test (04:21)
• Discussion about canceling “Monster Mash” (09:06)
• “My culture is not your costume, buddy. It’s not your dinner” (05:44)
• Bob wanting his name spelled correctly on his headstone, referencing being listed as “Bob Fonsella” in Spy Kids 3D credits (19:05)
• “I don’t have the patience for this show” about “The Patient” (38:15)

Phone callers this portion:

Joey (20:33-21:52):

• Called in to suggest playing Ministry’s “Every Day is Halloween” song
• Brief interaction, hosts seemed confused about whether they had asked for Halloween song suggestions

Lisa’s husband (40:46-41:00):

• Called in at the very end of this segment
• Described himself as “the better one of the two”
• Purpose of call not fully revealed in this portion

5 paragraph summary on Bob’s Rock and Roll News segment:

Bob Fonseca’s Rock and Roll News segment opened with discussion of Pantera’s controversial reunion tour, which has sparked debate about whether it’s legitimate without late members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. Despite criticism, ticket sales have been so strong that the band moved their debut show in Santiago, Chile from a 5,000-seat theater to a 17,000-seat arena. The tour features guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante filling in for the Abbott brothers, with guitarist Zakk Wilde and drummer Charlie Bonante replacing the late brothers. Four South American and Mexican dates are currently scheduled, with U.S. dates expected to be announced soon.

The segment took a somber turn with news of DH Peligro’s death at age 63. Peligro was the longtime drummer for influential punk band Dead Kennedys and briefly played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He died from injuries sustained in a fall. Bob shared an inspiring detail about Peligro’s origin story: at 17, he hopped a Greyhound bus to San Francisco with just his drum kit and a bologna sandwich, eventually making something of himself in the music world.

In entertainment news, Bob discussed Matthew Perry’s memoir promotion tour and an anecdote about making out with Valerie Bertinelli while she was married to Eddie Van Halen. Perry revealed he attended a party at the Van Halen household, waited for Eddie to pass out from drinking red wine, then had a consensual makeout session with Bertinelli. Bob and Matt criticized this revelation as not following “bro code” and unnecessary airing of dirty laundry, with Matt particularly noting that addicts seem to enjoy the attention from such stories.

The Rock and Roll News Junior segment highlighted Rihanna’s return from semi-retirement with a new song called “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. Bob described the song as having a gospel resonance and being a hymn-like call for intimacy and security. He encouraged younger listeners to check out both the new single and the upcoming film.

Bob concluded with Rock and Roll News Salutes, sending shoutouts to Jake and Chris in South Austin (SoCo) at the request of fan Elias, and giving a second October salute to Matt’s wife Kara Bearden for officially changing the name of Pizza Skulls to Skullzones at Bob’s request. He jokingly noted he had more requests coming for the Bearden household and reminded listeners to x-ray their Halloween candy and be safe.

Rock and roll shoutout/salute recipients:

• Jake and Chris in South Austin (requested by Elias) (35:25)
• Kara Bearden (Matt’s wife) – second October salute for changing Pizza Skulls to Skullzones (35:33)

Bands talked about during Bob’s Rock and Roll news segment:

• Pantera
• Dead Kennedys
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Van Halen (in context of Matthew Perry/Valerie Bertinelli story)
• Rihanna (Rock and Roll News Jr. segment)

3 paragraph summary of this portion of the show – excluding Bob’s Rock and Roll news:

The Halloween episode opened with the three hosts discussing the holiday and their complete lack of costumes, joking about their “scary” basic black tees. The conversation quickly turned to Matt’s viral Pizza Skulls (now officially renamed Skullzones after Bob’s pressure), which Matt made for a weekend party. Bob admitted he didn’t eat any this year despite making them, showing restraint as he prepares for “Say November” – a clean eating challenge where he plans to lose significant weight. Matt revealed he forgot to bring the Skullzones he’d saved for Bob and Chewy to the studio, leaving them in his refrigerator, which led to an awkward invitation for Matt to come trick-or-treating at Bob’s house to get them properly reheated.

The hosts debated Halloween traditions, with Bob controversially stating he doesn’t give candy to anyone over 16, leading to Matt calling him the “Halloween police.” They discussed how Halloween has been co-opted by adults and the consolidation of trick-or-treating, with Bob noting his neighborhood serves as a hub for friends from rural areas. The conversation covered various Halloween songs, with Matt advocating to retire “Monster Mash” (though the board operator played it anyway) while Bob wanted to keep “Thriller.” They also discussed Florida news about a man in business attire tapping on doors with a machete at 5:30 AM, and a fascinating story about people engraving recipes on headstones, introducing the term “taphophiles” for cemetery enthusiasts.

The show concluded with a heated debate about the TV series “The Patient” starring Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson. Bob expressed strong disappointment after Matt’s recommendation, complaining that eight episodes in, nothing happens and it’s just a “Misery” knockoff with endless shots of a pickup truck. Matt defended the show as brilliant and too smart for Bob, insisting the ending justifies everything and that Bob is missing deeper themes. Bob maintained he expected a “feel-good” show based on Gleeson being in “Peter Rabbit” and has no patience to finish the final two episodes, while Matt called him an idiot for not completing it and missing what he considers an excellent conclusion.

⏰ Second Hour Analysis ⏰

Analysis of Radio Show Transcript (Second Third)

Food items/restaurants talked about:

• Milk Duds (fun-sized boxes with 3-4 pieces)
• Jolly Ranchers
• Werther’s candy
• Hershey’s Kisses (red and green Christmas versions)
• Hershey bars (full-size)
• Raisins
• Caramel apples
• Candy apples
• Popcorn balls
• Rice Krispie treats
• Hot dogs (mentioned as neighborhood tradition)
• Luby’s restaurant (referenced as place where elderly people eat)

News stories talked about during this portion:

• 41:00-46:00: Discussion of TV shows (Monarch, The Watcher, The Patient, Yellowstone Season 5 premiering November 11th)
• 46:15-47:51: Austin property crime (theft, burglary, robbery) has decreased; APD robbery unit made arrests
• 47:51-49:30: Austin area doctors seeing uptick in pickleball injuries (sprained ankles, tweaked elbows, broken wrists, hand fractures, shoulder strains, concussions) – Dr. Justin Tanton from Liberty Hill area cited
• 54:00-01:00:05: Elon Musk took over Twitter on Friday, may bring Twitter headquarters to Austin, fired leadership, rumors about charging $20/month for blue check marks, discussion of Paul Pelosi hammer attack and misinformation from Santa Monica Observer

Predictions made during this portion:

• 55:10: Matt predicts Elon Musk’s “house of cards may crumble” one day, leaving people unemployed
• 55:32: Matt says term limits should be approximately 13 years maximum in government, last eligible to run at age 55

Interesting facts shared during this portion:

• 44:00: The final episode of “The Patient” is one hour long (others are 30 minutes)
• 44:45: David Alan Greer appears in “The Patient”
• 56:00: Santa Monica Observer is run by one person and has posted fake stories including that Kanye West is secretly Secretary of the Interior
• 57:00: Twitter previously would lock accounts for using certain profanity; restrictions have been lifted
• 1:02:40: Andrew Gold may have written “Spooky Scary Skeletons” (and jokingly suggested he wrote Golden Girls theme)
• 1:10:00: In the Midwest, trick-or-treating happens on the Sunday before Halloween, not on October 31st
• 1:15:45: Mueller neighborhood in Austin is popular for trick-or-treating due to zero lot lines (houses close together)

Funny or memorable quotes:

• 41:49: “I can’t take the guy that made Honky Tonk Badonkadonk and take him serious.” (About Trace Adkins)
• 42:00: “They shot it on the iPhone 11. Yeah, it looks like a soap opera.”
• 45:00: “He’s got this gruff voice, probably smokes too much. He’s got a roommate that he wants to bang, but she hasn’t banged.”
• 48:30: “Every pickleball player is less than athletic.”
• 50:00: “There’s a woman who will powder your balls so they don’t stick to the inside of your thigh.”
• 53:15: “It’s the shuttlecock… It’s what the ladies get at NASA.”
• 58:00: “I’ve just been calling people the C-bomb during the weekend… And it’s making people angry because a lot of the free speech dudes… then you just go, hey, your wife looks really fat. C-bomb.”
• 1:03:50: “Welcome back, Connor.” (When discussing Golden Girls theme song)
• 1:17:15: “He goes, F you, dude!” (Six-year-old kid after taking all the candy from the bowl)

Phone callers this portion:

• 43:17-46:00: Caller discussing “The Patient” TV show finale
• 1:12:00: Sherman – called about Halloween needing to be on Friday nights because he’s on-call 24 hours
• 1:12:22: Joey – suggested Christmas needs to “back the hell off” from encroaching on Halloween in October
• 1:19:18: Caller asking about bobbin for apples

Recurring jokes or gags:

• Bob’s dislike of “The Patient” despite others loving it
• References to “Dusty Cookies” (elderly people)
• Matt’s critique of pickleball players
• Discussion of Matt’s “athletic facility” being a resort-style gym
• The show only pleasing a small percentage of listeners
• Matt living in a neighborhood with elderly residents who go to sleep early

Five Paragraph Summary:

The second third of the show opened with extensive discussion about television programs, particularly “The Patient” on Hulu. While Matt and other callers praised the show’s ending and complex storytelling, Bob remained skeptical, having only watched eight episodes. The hosts debated the merits of Steve Carell’s performance and the show’s disturbing content, with a caller emphasizing how thought-provoking the finale was and noting that the last episode runs a full hour compared to the typical 30-minute episodes.

The conversation shifted to Austin news headlines, covering both positive and negative local developments. Matt reported that property crimes including theft, burglary, and robbery have significantly decreased in Austin, with APD’s robbery unit making key arrests. However, he also shared concerning news about a dramatic uptick in pickleball injuries at area medical facilities, with Dr. Justin Tanton from Liberty Hill treating broken wrists, concussions, shoulder strains, and various other injuries. This led to extended mockery of pickleball as a sport, with Chewie declaring that “every pickleball player is less than athletic,” though Matt defended having seen competitive play at his gym.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on Elon Musk’s Friday takeover of Twitter and its implications for Austin. The hosts discussed rumors that Twitter headquarters might relocate to Austin, Musk firing top executives immediately, and potential plans to charge $20 monthly for verified blue check marks. Matt criticized Musk for retweeting false information from the dubious “Santa Monica Observer” about Paul Pelosi, while noting that content moderation has loosened, allowing previously banned profanity. The hosts expressed mixed feelings about Musk, with Matt suggesting he’s “a little bit of a dad joke guy” rather than a genuine genius, predicting his “house of cards may crumble.”

The show’s main focus became an extensive debate about fixing Halloween traditions and rules. The hosts passionately argued about whether trick-or-treating should occur on the actual October 31st date or be moved to Fridays, with Chewy advocating for Friday nights and Matt countering that November 1st should be a national holiday instead. They discussed the decline of novelty Halloween songs like “Monster Mash,” the introduction of “Spooky Scary Skeletons,” optimal trick-or-treating hours, the problem of parents eating their kids’ candy, and neighborhood differences in Halloween participation. Callers contributed perspectives including Sherman’s work schedule challenges and Joey’s complaint about Christmas decorations appearing too early.

The Halloween discussion touched on numerous nostalgic and practical concerns, from the honor system failure of leaving out candy bowls to the social dynamics of wealthier neighborhoods like Mueller attracting trick-or-treaters from across the city. The hosts debated candy preferences, rejecting hard candies and homemade treats while advocating for commercial chocolate products and consistent quantities in fun-size packages. They reminisced about childhood traditions like bobbin for apples (now impractical post-COVID), the single neighborhood bachelor handing out dollar bills, and school carnival fishing games. Throughout, they emphasized Halloween as fundamentally a children’s holiday that adults have increasingly co-opted, particularly on Friday nights before the actual date.

🕐 Third Hour Analysis 🕐

Analysis of Matt & Bob Show (10-31-2022) – Final Third

Food or restaurants talked about during this portion:

• 01:20:11 – Discussion of hamburgers and joints, mentioning something called “Jiv”
• 01:20:14 – Reference to Eeyore’s birthday event

Guests on the show:

• 01:20:30 – Austin Film Festival guests announced for 9 o’clock appearance
• 01:27:13 – Bobby and Aaron Weiss (cousins, filmmakers) join the show
• 01:27:13 – Dale Carter (undertaker/embalmer, subject of documentary “Song of the Cicada”) joins the show
• 01:30:02 – Bobby met Dale exactly 12 years ago to the day (Halloween)
• 01:30:02 – Bobby was dressed as Alec Baldwin from Beetlejuice when they met
• 01:41:33 – Dakota (Dale’s student, age 27, started in the business at 17) was present but didn’t speak on air

Interesting facts shared during this portion:

• 01:22:00 – Twelve different primates pick their nose
• 01:22:12 – Nose picking may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease
• 01:22:34 – A type of chlamydia bacteria creates plaques associated with Alzheimer’s
• 01:22:45 – Researchers at Griffith University in Australia tested this on mice
• 01:22:53 – The bacteria produces amyloid beta proteins (plaques that cause Alzheimer’s)
• 01:23:14 – Bacteria can bypass bloodstream and reach brain through olfactory nerve
• 01:23:42 – Common cold is caused by a coronavirus (not all coronaviruses lead to COVID)
• 01:32:23 – Dale has embalmed over 30,000 individuals
• 01:32:32 – How cultures care for their dead reveals much about who they are as people
• 01:32:38 – Dale learned crochet, needlepoint, and macrame as a boy, which helps with autopsy stitching
• 01:33:02 – Dale charged admission to his childhood room where he kept preserved specimens
• 01:47:09 – Dale’s boss said only one in ten thousand embalmers are like Dale, with his ability to reconstruct damaged bodies

Memorable moments during this portion:

• 01:20:34 – Promotion of “Song of the Cicada” documentary about an undertaker, described as “Chef’s Kiss”
• 01:24:00 – Discussion about driving being prime nose-picking time
• 01:25:02 – Suggestion of “driving mittens” to prevent nose picking and potential Alzheimer’s
• 01:30:23 – Bobby describes meeting Dale at a Halloween party where Dale invited him to witness an embalming that same night
• 01:31:12 – Matt describes Dale as “unique in humanity” with distinctive appearance, tone, and career choice
• 01:31:32 – Dale discusses the ancient profession of mortuary sciences
• 01:31:46 – Dale describes himself as “dandy-fied” referencing Charles Baudelaire and Eduardo Manet
• 01:32:17 – Dale recounts discovering preservation as a child using alcohol to preserve fish
• 01:32:56 – Dale references “Beauty and the Beast” and asking permission/treating people with respect
• 01:33:37 – Dale discusses how talking about death forces people to confront their own mortality
• 01:34:15 – Dale provides his theory of reincarnation, claiming a gypsy told him he was a woman in a past life
• 01:36:04 – Dale describes feeling “disenfranchised” his whole life yet connected to humanity
• 01:36:47 – Dale recalls seeing a man in a Scottish Inverness coat at North Park Mall in Dallas as a teenager
• 01:37:01 – Dale admits he was bullied growing up for being different
• 01:38:01 – Dale explains his “psychopathic tendencies” as ability to compartmentalize feelings while embalming friends
• 01:39:16 – Discussion of Dale’s appearance fitting perfectly with his profession and Victorian home
• 01:40:00 – Dale quotes: “I’ve got enough mojo to last a million years”
• 01:40:32 – Dale quotes: “I do not fear your God, I fear your scars because when they see, my people see your scars, they will believe”
• 01:41:00 – Dale discusses recent years of loss, mentioning Tony Garcia and Matt Davis (both deceased, appeared in film)
• 01:41:29 – Dale mentions trying absinthe this week in front of his student
• 01:42:07 – Bobby describes witnessing his first embalming on Halloween night after just meeting Dale
• 01:42:39 – The mutual friend they brought to the embalming fainted when Dale pulled the sheet off
• 01:44:00 – Discussion of the documentary’s beautiful photography
• 01:45:01 – World premiere happened the night before (October 30, 2022)
• 01:45:06 – Galaxy Theater 6, 4 PM showing mentioned for the next day
• 01:46:24 – Dale has a memento mori app on his phone set for 30 more years as daily reminder of mortality
• 01:47:01 – Dale announces plans to write three books about his career
• 01:47:06 – Book titles: “Death Call, the Memoirs of an Embalmer,” “Embalming Nightmares and Mortuary Dreams,” and “The Last Stitch”
• 01:49:08 – Dale describes his planned funeral with paid mourners from Italy/Sicily
• 01:49:27 – Dale wants Shakespeare’s Prospero speech from “The Tempest” at his funeral
• 01:50:12 – Dale quotes Julius Caesar: “Cowards die a thousand times before their actual death, the valiant taste of death, but once”
• 01:51:15 – Dale asks if Bobby can get an invite to the funeral (Bobby is Sicilian)
• 01:53:02 – Matt describes Dale’s handshake as “ice cold”
• 01:53:39 – Dale asks Matt “would you like to see my monocle?” and puts it in
• 01:54:23 – Caller Michael shares story about an undertaker shuttle driver in Colorado who buried his amputated toes at his grandmother’s grave
• 01:56:42 – Discussion of how certain people are suited for undertaking work
• 01:58:32 – Matt admits he wouldn’t go to Bob’s funeral because he finds funerals morbid
• 02:00:00 – Discussion of how light caskets are due to embalming removing body weight
• 02:01:27 – Brad calls to wish everyone Happy Halloween
• 02:01:41 – Matt reminds listeners to drive safely on Halloween with kids trick-or-treating

5 Paragraph Summary:

The final portion of this Halloween edition of the Matt & Bob show began with the hosts teasing an upcoming interview with guests from the Austin Film Festival about a documentary called “Song of the Cicada.” Before the interview, the hosts engaged in an extended discussion about nose picking and its potential link to Alzheimer’s disease, sharing research from Griffith University in Australia suggesting that a type of chlamydia bacteria can enter the brain through the olfactory nerve and create amyloid beta plaques. The humorous conversation included suggestions for “driving mittens” to prevent nose picking while driving, a time when people commonly engage in this behavior.

The main segment featured filmmakers Bobby and Aaron Weiss, along with Dale Carter, the fascinating subject of their documentary “Song of the Cicada.” Dale is a unique undertaker from Galveston who has embalmed over 30,000 individuals throughout his nearly 40-year career. The interview revealed Dale to be an extraordinary character who describes himself as “dandy-fied,” wears a monocle and Panama hat, and speaks in eloquent, quotable phrases referencing Shakespeare, opera, and classic literature. Bobby recounted meeting Dale exactly 12 years prior on Halloween night and being invited to witness an embalming that same evening, an experience that eventually led to the documentary project that took over a decade to complete.

Dale shared his origin story, explaining how he became fascinated with preservation as a child after discovering he could preserve fish in alcohol, creating a collection he charged admission for others to see. He discussed the philosophical aspects of his work, explaining how cultures’ treatment of the dead reveals much about their values, and described his ability to “compartmentalize” emotions while working on bodies of friends and acquaintances—what he calls his “psychopathic tendencies.” Despite admitting to being bullied and feeling “disenfranchised” growing up different in coastal Texas, Dale has embraced his uniqueness and developed what he describes as “enough mojo to last a million years.”

The conversation touched on Dale’s belief in reincarnation, his love of beauty and finery, his Victorian home filled with curios and antique dolls, and his elaborate plans for his own funeral featuring paid mourners from Sicily. He announced intentions to write three books about his career: “Death Call, the Memoirs of an Embalmer,” “Embalming Nightmares and Mortuary Dreams,” and “The Last Stitch.” The filmmakers explained how they overcame their initial discomfort with death and embalming to create what Matt described as a beautifully photographed documentary that elevates the subject matter through artistic cinematography rather than simple documentary footage.

After the guests departed, the hosts reflected on the interview, with Matt noting Dale’s “ice cold” handshake and unique presence, describing him as someone who could only be an undertaker given his appearance and sensibilities. They discussed the strangeness of the undertaking profession and shared experiences as pallbearers, noting how surprisingly light caskets are due to the embalming process removing body weight. A caller shared a story about meeting an undertaker who had buried his amputated toes at his grandmother’s grave. The show concluded with Matt reminding listeners to drive safely on Halloween evening due to children trick-or-treating, emphasizing that there’s nowhere important enough to be in a hurry that would risk causing a tragedy.