Alright, It's Settled

It's the end of the road. Eddy is going to medical school. Chris is moving. And Denny remains in Boston. But what better thing to discuss than farewells? If we missed something, sorry. We're done. Be safe. And continue holding strong opinions about stupid things. But always remember that you might be wrong.

Watching the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night, we started talking about sports conspiracy theories. A little searching led us to some wacky conspiracies that we'd never heard of. We decided to debate the craziest one. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Only a few weeks left before Alright, It's Settled begins its indefinite hiatus, we decide to return to a topic we'd been talking about for a while: the best, respective euphemisms for urinating and getting drunk. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After listening to Chris play some cover songs at a local bar, Denny suggested we talk about the best song to hear a cover band do. He was looking for something that induced immense comradery in the bar. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Eddy claims that he suggested this topic in October and Denny and I told him it was stupid. That's not true. Because this topic is not stupid. And everybody loves potatoes in its various incarnations. Did we miss something? Do you want something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Love is in the air this spring, so we decided to talk about the most famous lovers. We split it into fictional and non-fictional. Did we miss something? Do you want something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

Except for our two week Christmas break, we made time for "Alright, It's Settled" every week throughout the last year. Given how hectic our schedules can be, this was a miracle. So we decided to celebrate. We went over to Harvard and had the world's brightest students weigh in on some old topics. Thanks for sticking with us. Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Our most intellectual topic yet is, indeed, about intellectuals! As two-and-a-half intellectual hosts, we figured there was no better trio to tackle the topic of the most well known intellectual. Hopefully next week we will have our one year celebration. Did we miss something? Do you want something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With the NBA and NHL playoffs alive and the NFL draft marking the beginning of the preseason, we decided to discuss cliche sports phrases and why they annoy us. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With none of us in the same place, we decided to record an episode over the phone with only the Macbook's internal microphone. Thus, this is our lowest fidelity episode, but we do it for the fans. Inspired by our DIY approach, we decided to discuss strange yet feasible ways to communicate. Did we miss something? Do you want something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

This last week the song "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus topped the Billboard Hot 100. It was an unexpected collaboration, to say the least. While we all sorta like Little Nas X's crossover jam, we decided to delve into terrible musical collaborations. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Given the approach of the new Marvel movie, superheroes have been in the news recently. We decieded to look into the actor who would be the worst superhero. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

Scrounging for a topic, we decided to go with a meta-topic: selecting the best possible topic for next week. Matt was in the room without a mic (because he said he didn't want to talk) but he wouldn't shut up. Do you wanted something else settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Wherefore art though, Denny? In his first episode away from the podcast, we have two old guests - Billy and Matt - fill the North Carolinians big shoes to discuss nicknames for urban areas. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Inspired by a question he read on Twitter, Denny insists on discussing fictional characters he envies as he grows older and wiser. (Hint: Most of those characters he envies tend to sleep a long time, often years.) We also get through the Final Four Songs from 2013 in our March Madness bracket in preparation for the final game next Friday. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With Alex Trebek's tragic cancer diagnosis, we started thinking about trusted voices in this age of political disarray. There is a case to be made that Trebek's nightly presence in people's living rooms has made him one of the most trusted figures left. Did we miss someone? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After marching through the Sweet Sixteen of our Top 40 Songs, we decided to talk about jobs that would throw the world into chaos if they temporarily disappeared. Did we miss something? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With elementary educator Claire Messina in town, we decided to discuss lies our teachers told us and lies Claire continues to tell her students. We also establish the Sweet Sixteen of songs in our Top 40 Songs of 2013 Bracket Challenge. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After discovering that fans of Imagine Dragons are called "Firebreathers," we decided to weigh in on the worst fandom names. Chris's girlfriend Val Coughlin joins the program. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Law school student (and old friend) Katie Petrino sits down with us for our post-Super Bowl recap where we imagine NFL teams as if the players were the mascots. (The Patriots would not be a dynasty in this simulation.) We also continue our "March Madness" tournament of pop songs from 2013. Did we miss something? Were you upset that Katie and Denny didn't get into a fight? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Inspired by the impending Super Bowl and Imagine Dragons terrible performance during halftime of the College Football Champion we discuss the worst possible Super Bowl halftime entertainment. Fiona Shea joins to help us suss it out. We also start March Madness early, debating a bracket of the Top 40 Songs from 2013. We will pit a few songs against each other each week until we arrive at the champion at the beginning of the NCAA's March Madness. Did we miss something? Are you upset about a song's defeat from your youth? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Technologies die. First we listened to vinyl. Then cassettes. Then CDs. Then we streamed. (Now some people listen to vinyl again.) But even when technologies die, sometimes the terminology sticks around. Today we discuss the most surprising term from an outdated technology that's still around. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After Denny was blown away by how good Martha Stewart looked at 77, we decided to look at which old people looked the youngest. Did we miss any spry geriatrics? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItSettled@gmail.com.

Not all laws are just. But even when people break the fair ones, we sometimes forgive them quickly. With this in mind, we decided to weigh in on the ex-criminals that have rehabilitated their image so much so that we often forget that they did time. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After putting out a new song called "Second Best," Chris proposes discussing the thing that is most consistently second best. In other words, these things are always close to greatness but never actually achieve it. Edouard's friend Katie joins to help sleuth out the answer. Are you consistently taking home the silver medal? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Kara Reilly, the first female guest, highlights our male-centric bias as we discuss actors who are only associated with a single role. Kara also joins Eddy to play a new game called Sniff the Nip that involves identifying hard alcohol purely by the scent. Did we miss something? Is there a nip that would be particularly difficult to identify? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Because Eddy is on the journey to medical school, we decided to discuss doctors that aren't really doctors. We also discuss a strange turn of events in Eddy's love life. Did we miss something? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After a successful Thanksgiving special, Denny decided that he wanted to get in the Christmas spirit and talk about Christmas songs that have nothing to do with Christmas. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With the holiday approaching, Chris, Denny, and Eddy decided to release a bonus episode to help make traveling a bit easier and to spark debate at your Thanksgiving table. With that in mind, the gang decided to look for the song whose opening lyrics are so iconic that they are recognizable sans melody, rhythm, or music. Did we miss something? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Chris's friend Tom Rowland was in town with intent on joining the podcast, but Denny got a slow start to his day and couldn't get over until Tom had left. Still, Tom's topic was put to use as the gang looked at the most misunderstood alcoholic beverage. Did we miss something? Do you have a topic? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With Chris happy to have another New Jerseyan on the podcast, long-time fan John Schettino joins for a half hour of debate about famous families. Chris also introduces a new segment called Chris's Blind Bag Challenge. If you want to play along, the four mysterious objects that Edouard is trying to identify are a soccer cone, a bottle of Advil, steel wool, and scotch tape. Is your family famous? Infamous? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After growing a mustache for his Freddie Mercury Halloween costume, Eddy suggests discussing the most iconic facial hair. The crew is also joined by their roommate Matt for a new segment, Hot Takes with Matt Haley, where Matt explains why he hates going out to breakfast. Chris also explains why he hates hot takes. Do you have a killer neckbeard? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Have you ever been a fan of a solo artist and also a fan of a band and then later find out that artist was in said band? For Denny, it was realizing that Dave Grohl - the drummer in Nirvana - was the same Dave Grohl that fronted the Foo Fighters. For Eddy, it was realizing that Ringo Starr - vocal powerhouse behind the 70's classic "Photograph" - was the drummer in The Beatles. With this in mind, Chris, Denny, and Eddy sit down to discuss the most shocking of these realizations. Billy Evers joins again. Is there something so jaw-droppingly surprising that we are forgetting it? Do you want to have your topic settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Chris's buddy Billy Evers sits in with the gang to discuss famous streets. Before traversing the globe, Denny heads to a seemingly innocuous but somewhat suggestive corner of his Wikipedian Wonderland. Do you live on a notable street? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Chris tries to inject some mathematics into the podcast, but Denny and Eddy take it in the complete opposite direction. Did you think the answer should have been 2047, the smallest composite pernicious Mersenne prime? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

After one too many Trivial Pursuit arguments, Chris, Denny, and Eddy look into the most depressing board game. Denny also takes us on another trip to his Wikipedia Wonderland. Did we miss something? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

After a long day of doing nothing but watch NFL Red Zone, Denny, Eddy, and Chris look into the strangest sports team names and their even more outrageous backstories. Denny also introduces his new segment, Denny's Wikipedia Corner. Did we forget the name of your town's Little League team? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

While death is one of life's few certainties, it can still come as quite a shock. In the grimmest episode to date, Chris, Denny, and Eddy delve into the most shocking deaths since the death of RFK, just over 60 years ago. (We figured if we went back too far JFK, MLK, or RFK would be the inevitable conclusion.) Did we miss something? Do you have something that needs to be settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Movie buff Edouard leads the group on a nearly endless quest to unearth the most commonly used quote that people don't realize is actually from a movie. Did you know the source of every quote in this podcast? Do you need something settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Given the irony that Chris had to work on Labor Day, the gang sit down to discuss the scariest holiday. Did we forget about the holiday that your mother created in the 70s? Do you have a topic that needs settling? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

Edouard makes his glorious return from France so he can weigh in on the job that requires the friendliest behavior. (In other words, if you hate people, there is no way you could fathom doing this job.) Did we miss something? Are you in a friendlier field? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Unclear when Edouard is returning to Boston, Chris and Denny decide to bring a fourth person into the fray. Joined by international-traveler/professor-of-American-culture Thomas Hanley and consultant extraordinaire David Kim, the gang discuss the ultimate dinner guest. Did we miss something? Is your second cousin a particularly engaging conversationalist? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

With Edouard galavanting through the hills of France, Chris and Denny sit down with their friend Thomas Hanley - conveniently in the US from Germany - to discuss mononymous celebrities. Did we miss something? Are you offended by how little credence we gave to Shakira? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Two consecutive masterpieces on an album is impressive but somewhat common. Four is nearly impossible. But three is the perfect combination of difficulty and feasibility. Chris, Denny, and Eddy dive into one of the most classic debates in popular music and try to find the holy trinity of songs from a single album. Did we forget the last three songs from the sixth record ofyour favorite German deathcore band? Do you need something resolved? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

Inspired by Alex Trebek's alleged retirement and a young Chris's obsession with the Gameshow Network, Chris, Denny, and Eddy look to figure out what the most difficult gameshow to win is. Are we forgetting your favorite gameshow? Do you think Wheel of Fortune airs before or after Jeopardy!? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

There are some people you would never wish to meet, there are those that you would want to hang out with for a long time, and there are also those that you'd love to meet but only for a brief time. This week Chris, Denny, and Eddy look to answer the last question by exploring who would be the ideal person to run into in an elevator. Did we miss something? Are you itching to hear a certain topic debated? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

Making friends becomes exceedingly more difficult once you graduate from college. With this in mind, Chris, Denny, and Eddy look to identify the coolest fictional twins in an effort to expand their increasingly shrinking social circle. Did we miss something? Do you want to take Denny on a date? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com

Which beer can you break out at a BBQ, black tie affair, and funeral and not look out of place? Denny, Chris, and Eddy try to discern the beer most applicable for all occasions. Did we miss something? Are you looking to go on a date with Denny? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

It's hard to define what a sports play is, but you know it when you see it. To Denny's joy, we jump into our first sports-related topic, trying to identify what the most exciting athletic play is. Did we forget about some little known athletic competition? Do you need a topic settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

While Chris, Denny, and Eddy aren't sure why celebrities feel the need to name their children such strange names, they decide to weigh in on which name is the strangest. Did we miss something? Are you D-List celebrity who has a child with a bizarre name? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.

The most highbrow topic to date, Chris, Denny, and Eddy attempt to parse through the canon of world literature and suss out the most famous character of them all. While the character could have gained additional notoriety from non-literary means, they must have initially appeared in a work of literature. (In other words, Denny, Slim Shady is not a literary character.) Is Harold Bloom a close relative and he's told you that he's unhappy with our final decision? Does old Uncle Harry need another debate settled? Let us know at AlrightItsSettled@gmail.com.