Pod Yourself A Gun - A Rewatch Podcast

“It feels like the moment when David Simon’s twitter persona finally gained the upperhand on David Simon the TV writer.” -David J. RothWell, we did it. We podded ourselves the whole Wire. The closer, Defector.com founder, and natural po-dcaster David J. Roth joins Matt & Vince to talk (at great length!) about The Wire’s finale, season five episode ten “-30-”Was it the best season of The Wire? Universally from guests and hosts alike, no, it was not the best season. Was it a good season? Sort of depends on who you ask. Matt & Vince are noted season five defenders. They love reporting, shoe leather, shoe leather reporting, and corpse penis shots, and this season delivers on all those fronts, so that’s not surprising. David has a higher opinion than episode eight guest Dave from Dopey, but agrees with many past guests that it can’t live up to the heights of seasons three and four. The finale has some satisfying moments. Scott Templeton’s weaselry is finally called out by Gus and Jimmy, though he is rewarded for his fabrications with what we think is a Pulitzer. Do any of our listeners know what a Pulitzer looks like? Lol of course not. Our listeners are more likely to know what delinquent child support summons looks like than a Pulitzer (no offense). We also get Jimmy’s funeral. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything, he doesn’t die, but Officer McNulty sort of does, and he gets a proper copper funeral scene that, according to Dominic West, the actors were all legitimately drunk to film. So method. Really committed to the craft.Stick around to find out what show we do next (Alf). We haven’t decided yet (it’s going to be Alf or I stg I will b*mb a federal building – just kidding please don’t call the cops), so tell us what show we should do next in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Shay’s Nutz, Titanic, Chevy, The Shock Jock, Gross, Double O, & Old Mall Drink. -Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“I never cracked the clock code.” -Brent FlybergThe gang’s all here for the penultimate edition of Pod Yourself The Wire. Comedian, producer of the pod, writer of these descriptions, and world-class-stud, Brent Flyberg joins Matt and Vince to talk about The Wire season five episode nine, “Late Editions.”If you have learned nothing else from this podcast, I trust that you have learned that we like when the guys on the show are friends. Right up to the end, Michael and Snoop are friends. He reassures her that her hair looks good right before he blows her brains out, because the game is the game, but friends are forever. It would have been funny if she had asked “does my hair look good?” and Michael responded with a Snoop-style “yerrrr!” and then shot her in the face, but I guess Pelecanos wasn’t going for a laugh in that scene.This episode also features the famous Marlo “My name is my name” scene, which you might remember hearing sampled all over Pusha T’s Wrath of Caine mixtape. That’s right, I’m a middle-aged white guy who loves rap music. It’s embarrassing to admit because we are this generation’s white guys who love jazz and those guys suck. I’m going to steer into the skid. Any day now you’ll see me in a Kangol hat calling people cats. Tell us your favorite rap song that samples a clip from The Wire in a five-star review on  Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Detective, Analingus, Breadpie, Gritty, & Delaware.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Listen to the full episode by joining the Patreon.com/frotcastAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“10-year-old Kennard would have bullied 25-year-old me.” -Dave Dave from the Dopey Podcast returns to talk to Matt & Vince about The Wire season five episode eight, “Clarifications.”Dave hates season five. If you, like Vince, are a season five defender who loves the newsroom stuff, you might find yourself yelling at your phone during this one. He hates Gus. GUS – the last beacon of integrity at the fictionalized Baltimore Sun. He even hates Kennard, the pint-sized, foul-mouthed giant slayer.Regardless of how you feel about season five, you probably love Omar, and this is a tough episode. We say goodbye to one of TV's most memorable characters in unceremonious fashion. He’s gunned down at the corner store picking up a soft pack of Newports by a literal child, and while he was a legend on the streets, his death doesn’t even make the paper. RIP Omar. We’ll pour out some Honey Nut Cheerios in your honor. Share your favorite Omar memory in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Oz, Pooh, Season, Toto, Allister, Maestro P, Coats, & Rumble.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The first installment of our new miniseries on college football movies takes on Necessary Roughness (1991)! Vince and Brendan are joined by Spencer Hall, from Channel 6/the Shutdown Fullcast. This series was of course the brainchild of Brendan, our resident ex-college football player and former NFL superstar (*practice squad and NFL Europe). We all thought a miniseries on college football movies was a great idea, but it also could just be that Brendan is really big and might have CTE so we didn't want to make him angry.For our first episode, we're discussing 1991's Necessary Roughness, starring Hector Elizondo and Robert Loggia as the coaches of the Texas State Fighting Armadillos, and their 34-year-old freshman quarterback, Paul Blake, played by Scott Bakula. Does it still hold up? Is it basically the same movie as Major League? All your questions answered, and more.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“This episode should have been called ‘Spite.’” - Brendan Sexton IIIFor the first time in the history of this pod, we have a guest who auditioned for a role on The Wire. In 2007 he nearly played Frog (one of the many people who rip Ziggy off), but this week actor Brendan Sexton III joins Matt and Vince to talk about season five episode seven, “Took.”As our guest points out, this episode, like many, could have been called “Spite.” It’s what’s motivating the actions of our two favorite Baltimore murder poe-lees. Jimmy, out of spite for the bosses, and the whole damn system, is using his fake serial killer to single-handedly ensure funding for any cop who needs it and knows where to find him. In the process, he learns that you either die the cool philandering drunk detective, or live long enough to become one of the bosses. Bunk, meanwhile, is pounding the pavement, chasing old leads, and generally doing a lot of shoe-leather detective work – likely the best work he’s done in years, just out of spite for Jimmy and his outright fraudulent behavior. The police can not be reformed or re-trained. Instead, to fix America’s policing problem, we need to have a handful of cops who are so off the rails that their peers have no choice but to actually do their jobs out of spite for their own co-workers. Tell us in your own words what you learned from Prometheus Bound in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: The Weasel, Barbie, Fat Man, & Syrup.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hey Matt Lieb here,Sorry about there being no frotcast episode last week and also preemptively sorry about Pod Yourself The Wire being late because we weren't able to record last week. We explain why at the end of the episode, and big ole trigger warning for that. But also, we talk about a lot of funny stuff too. Love you guys!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Buy tickets to see Matt Lieb and Francesca Fiorentini headline the Punch Line in Sacramento on Sunday, March 17th at 7pm.“Maybe it’s a badge of honor that I don’t have a badge of honor.” -Nora Barrows-FriedmanMatt and Vince welcome Associate Editor of The Electronic Intifada and Pod Yourself a Gun listener Nora Barrows-Friedman to talk about season five episode six of The Wire, “The Dickensian Aspect.”If David Simon used the same episode naming conventions as Friends, this episode would be titled “The One Where Jimmy Kidnaps an Unhoused Guy.” His fake serial isn’t going to strike fear into the hearts of Baltimore without a little collateral damage. A hobbled Omar is in the streets calling Marlo a bitch, but no one will tell Marlo what he’s saying because they’re afraid it will hurt his feelings or something? Speaking of hurting feelings, Nicky Sobotka is back and sorry to Pablo Schrieber, but no one on the pod finds his yelling at Krawczyck believable. Tell us the most Dickensian aspect of life on the streets in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Big House, Vacuum, Garfunkel, Bling, & Long Balls.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Buy tickets to see Matt Lieb and Francesca Fiorentini headline the Punch Line in Sacramento on Sunday, March 17th at 7pm.“If you thought dookie was gonna make it…” -Ashley RayAnother week, another returning guest, and another big lie from Scott Templeton. This week on the pod, comedian, and host of the TV, I Say podcast, Ashley Ray talks to Matt & Vince about The Wire season five episode five, “React Quotes.”If you like to see the smirk of a drunk Irish rascal with a naughty little secret, this is the episode for you. Jimmy learns he’s getting help fabricating a serial killer from slimy little newsboy Scott and can barely contain his glee. By the look on his face, you’d think McNutty just found out monogamy is illegal. Vince shares a fascinating backstory about Omar’s Superman-like flight from a sixth floor balcony – it might seem crazy that he would survive such a fall, but reportedly the character Omar was based on jumped from an even higher height and survived. So the next time you have to clean out the gutters, don’t be a weenie. If you fall you’ll probably be fine. You might have to hobble around with a shotgun as a cane, but you’ll live.Tell us what you think The Joker would find funny in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Lotion, Birth of a Nation, Sly Guy, Lieutenant, Miami, The Belt, & Bread.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Buy tickets to see Matt Lieb and Francesca Fiorentini headline the Punch Line in Sacramento on Sunday, March 17th at 7pm.“Everyone get your prostates checked, and then, look out for Marlo.” -Katrina DavisOne-time Pod Yourself A Gunner, and now two-time Pod Yourself The Wirer, fan favorite, and comedian Katrina Davis returns to talk to Matt & Vince about The Wire season five episode four, “Transitions.”We say goodbye to another character this week, so if you haven’t seen the episode, stop reading this (also, why are you reading this?). A proposition for you: wish that Proposition Joe may rip in peace. His stinky nephew Cheese sold him out in exchange for one Hungry Joe. His own family just for a guy who pees sitting down. Smdh. The episode of course features detailed intellectual analysis of Cheese’s treachery, Scott’s weaselly-ass-little-bitchness, Jimmy’s invented serial killer, and more, but there is also a spirited debate about peeing standing up vs. peeing sitting down. On this podcast we want you to eat your vegetables, but also you get a little piss as a treat. Sitting or standing? Tell us in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Two Times, The System, Special K, Tank Bra, Chickens, Mellow Yellow, & O’Frottery. -Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Here's a taste of this week's Frotcast. Please subscribe to the patreon!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Alison Stevenson, comedian and Thick Strip impresario (comediENNE and impresARIA??) joins the podcast this week to talk about Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" being suddenly cool again, and we mourn the death of Toby Keith, and along with him the George W Bush era, which was maybe an even crappier era than the current one. Holy crap, I just realized George W. Bush was president when I started blogging, I'm circling the freakin' drain over here. We also discuss Peter Thiel financing the "Enhanced Olympics," an Olympics for steroid users which compares PED users to historically oppressed classes. It's a great show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

“It feels like watching one of those movies where World War I is over a everyone says, ‘Well let’s not do that again.‘” -Dave WeigelMuch like a totalitarian regime, we are rounding up all the journalists. This week, returning guest and politics reporter for Semafor, Dave Weigel, joins Matt & Vince to discuss The Wire season five episode three, “Not For Attribution”Lester is on board with Jimmy’s fake serial killer and pitches a salacious pervert angle to get more attention, as long as he can get resources to take down Marlo. One of the knocks on season five is that after developing into a more honest character, Jimmy is backsliding in a way that doesn’t make sense, but go watch the scene in this episode where He’s having sex on the hood of a car and ask yourself, is that not the Jimmy we know and love?Meanwhile at The Balmer Sun, Alma does the hard work to write a good story, only to see it bumped off the front page, while season five’s other little lying weasel, Scott Templeton collects attaboys for an invented react quote. Let that be a lesson to you. Never work hard. Lie to your bosses. Hump on car hoods. Neither you, nor these characters, will ever face consequences (I assume – haven’t finished the show yet).Help us juke the stats by writing a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Scuba Steve, Suck City, Aussie Rules, Nibbly, A-Team, Mr. Burns.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Come see Matt Lieb and his wife Francesca Fiorentini co-headline the Punch Line Sacramento in Sacramento, CA on March 17th, 7pm. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!!“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood at the loading dock of my big local journalism outlet at a mid-size post-industrial city” -Daniel MaransExtra! Extra! Read all about it! This week on the pod we have another journalist on the pod! Huffington Post Senior Politics reporter Daniel Marans joins Matt & Vince to talk about The Wire season five, episode two, “Unconfirmed Reports.” Jimmy and Scott are making stuff up and getting rewarded for it. Maybe we should just lie on the podcast more. Hey, if you sign up for the Patreon, not only will you get a street name, but so far everyone who has signed up for the Patreon also got a text from their crush within the next week. No bs. I know I just said we were going to start lying but that’s true.A recurring theme on this pod is liking when the guys are friends, and this episode it’s Marlo and Avon who are warming heart cackles by bonding over their hatred of East Baltimore’s drug game players. The game is the game, but more importantly, the guys who are from the same place are friends.Are you an Incubus person or a Sublime person? Tell us in a five-star review on  Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Ayn Rand, Pete the Meat, Christie, Ghostbuster, & Nature BoyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Come see Matt Lieb and his wife Francesca Fiorentini co-headline the Punch Line Sacramento in Sacramento, CA on March 17th, 7pm. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!!“We have guns and oil – don’t even trip.” -Mike IsaacKicking off the final season of Pod Yourself The Wire, Matt & Vince welcome a returning Pod Yourself favorite, tech reporter for the NYT, and author of Super Pumped, Mike Isaac to discuss the premiere of season five of The Wire, “More With Less.”A fitting guest for The Wire’s press-focused season, Mike is here to tell us the news hole is still shrinking, and our new friends at the Baltimore Sun have no idea how good they had it. Buyouts? People were getting paid to stop being reporters? Sounds sick. As the title of the episode suggests, Baltimore’s paper of record is not the only crumbling vestige of the city’s civil services. The cops are waiting on backpay that may never arrive and literally fighting mad about it. The original Slippin’ Jimmy (McNulty) is back to his boozing, whoring ways and thank god. Sweet Beadie might not deserve all the bullsh*t new old Jimmy is shoveling her way, but as the audience, we’re loving it. Drunk bastard McNulty is the closest this show gets to a face melting guitar solo and Jimmy is already shredding. Can’t wait to see how noodly this guy can get. Tell us why The Hobbit f*cks in a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Email us at frotcast@gmail.com; leave us a voicemail at 415-275-0030Support the Pod: become a patron at patreon.com/Frotcast and get more bonus content than you could ever want. Sign up for the Pod Yourself a Shoutout tier to hear Vince give you a corner nickname on the podcast, like this week’s newest members: Shut Up, The Guillotine, Tater Salad, & Vowel.-Description by Brent Flyberg  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Future Hall of Famer Brendan is back on the pod with a very very special episode where we get very real. Truly a must listen. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hey everyone, here's all the songs from season 4 of Pod Yourself The Wire!Also, come see Matt Lieb and his wife Francesca Fiorentini co-headline the Punch Line Sacramento in Sacramento, CA on March 17th, 7pm. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Daniel Maté is back with his long lost sibling Matt Lieb to talk about zionist comedians and musical theater being used for evil.Visit Daniel's website here and check out his mental chiropractic service!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Here's a clip from this week's IN PERSON frotcast. You can listen to the full episode on Patreon. Subscribe now.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEY PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEW PODCAST! IT'S VERY GOOD! The homie Daniel Maté is in studio with Matt Lieb and they vibe.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy