Roderick on the Line

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Merlin Mann’s frank & candid weekly phone call with John Roderick of The Long Winters.

Merlin Mann


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 20m AVG DURATION
    • 587 EPISODES

    4.8 from 965 ratings Listeners of Roderick on the Line that love the show mention: john and merlin, merlin and john, john roderick, merlin mann, merlin's, roderick on the line, roderick's, ylnt, ping pong, look nice today, best thing on the internet, literally the best thing, steely dan, winters, perfect foil, it's a show, dan benjamin, self effacing, hitler, floating.


    Ivy Insights

    The Roderick on the Line podcast is a unique and engaging show that has kept listeners entertained for years. Hosted by John Roderick and Merlin Mann, it offers a refreshing blend of humor, insight, and personal stories that make it stand out from other podcasts. Fans of the show often refer to John and Merlin as "their boys," highlighting the connection they feel with these charismatic hosts.

    One of the best aspects of The Roderick on the Line is the chemistry between John and Merlin. Their banter and back-and-forth conversations create an enjoyable atmosphere that feels like catching up with old friends. Listeners appreciate their honesty, self-effacing humor, and ability to tackle serious topics while still keeping things light-hearted.

    Additionally, the storytelling skills of John Roderick are often praised by fans. His ability to captivate listeners with his narratives and anecdotes is truly impressive. Whether he's recounting childhood memories or sharing insights into his own personal struggles, John's storytelling keeps audiences engaged and eager for more.

    However, like any podcast, The Roderick on the Line does have its downsides. Some listeners find Merlin Mann's rants to be tiresome or off-putting. While these rants can be entertaining for some, others may find them excessive or repetitive. It's worth noting that this is a matter of personal preference and not everyone will feel this way.

    In conclusion, The Roderick on the Line podcast offers a delightful mix of humor, introspection, and genuine friendship between its hosts. While there may be some minor flaws in certain aspects of the show, overall it provides an enjoyable listening experience that keeps fans coming back for more. If you're looking for a podcast that feels like sitting down with old friends for a fun and insightful conversation, then give The Roderick on the Line a listen. You won't be disappointed!



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    Latest episodes from Roderick on the Line

    Ep. 582: "Safes Full of Chili"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025


    The Problem: She was watching basic-ass cable. (Recorded on Monday, June 2, 2025.)

    Ep. 581: "The Velocities of Youth"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025


    The Problem: Merlin doesn’t know how to make a bird horny. (Recorded on Monday, May 26, 2025.)

    Ep. 580: "A Queue of Snorks"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025


    The Problem: People almost have an accident all the time. (Recorded on Monday, May 19, 2025.)

    Ep. 579: "Prescription Sleeping"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025


    The Problem: John just wants one big card. (Recorded on Monday, May 12, 2025.)

    Ep. 578: "Aspirational Black Banana"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025


    The Problem: John put eggs in the ravine. (Recorded on Monday, May 5, 2025)

    Ep. 577: "Cigarettes and Pancakes"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025


    The Problem: John and Merlin are bookends. (Recorded on Monday, April 28, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 576: "The Lightest Possible Acquaintment"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025


    The Problem: Nobody puts John in a corner. (Recorded on Monday, April 21, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 575: "An Introverted Muppet"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025


    The Problem: The Oregon coast's lousy with grandchildren of loggers. (Recorded on Monday, April 14, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 574: "Big Strong Man"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025


    The Problem: It's a little late for a clean open. (Recorded on Monday, April 7, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 573: "The First Pancake"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025


    The Problem: You can only tape it back together once. (Recorded on Monday, March 24, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 572: "The Good One"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025


    The Problem: She gave John Social Security glasses. (Recorded on Monday, March 17, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 571: "Cannery Girls"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025


    The Problem: The Scottish Pound is not a euphemism. (Recorded on Monday, March 10, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 570: "Oregon Grapes"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025


    The Problem: You can only put so much ham on the boat. (Recorded on Monday, March 3, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 569: "The Legend of Numb Foot"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025


    The Problem: John is a pile of dirty clothes. (Recorded on Monday, February 10, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 568: "Imaginary Pipe"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025


    The Problem: A friend could be a duck. (Recorded on Monday, February 3, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 567: "A High Teen"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025


    The Problem: It was something they had a fifth-hand memory of. (Recorded on Monday, January 20, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 566: "My Talking Chair"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025


    The Problem: John ate the minnows for two weeks. (Recorded on Monday, January 13, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 565: "The Magical Table"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025


    The Problem: Susan has taken care of all of these top level problems. (Recorded on Monday, January 6, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    BONUS: "Hi, John" by Chris Ballew

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2025


    From listener Chris Ballew: I have heard every single episode of RotL and for almost as long as I have been listening to it I've been daydreaming about making a little mash up cut and paste audio bit out of some of a random selection opening moments of the podcast. I woke up one day and was suddenly seized my motivation, and made this little slice of sound as a love letter to my virtual and real life friends, John and Merlin. My God, Chris. Thank you, thank you.

    Ep. 564: Find Your Columbus

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024


    The Problem: Nobody wants to be the shoe. (Recorded on Monday, December 30, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 563: "Enormity Pools"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024


    The Problem: The problem is there are two problems. (Recorded on Monday, December 16, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 562: "Squat Influencer"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024


    The Problem: John was a problem for everybody. (Recorded on Monday, December 9, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 561: "Science is Vibes"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024


    The Problem: He slipped in slapping. (Recorded on Monday, December 2, 2024.) New Roderick on the Line Merchandise! Featuring a terrific design by Sean Wolfe. Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 560: "In My Ravine"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024


    The Problem: John is a highly sensitive person. (Recorded on Monday, November 25, 2024.) New Roderick on the Line Merchandise! Featuring a terrific design by Sean Wolfe. (“For the Record” rehearsal courtesy of Scott Simpson. Featuring Kathleen Edwards, David Bazan, El May, and John Roderick) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 559: "Box of Fog"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024


    The Problem: There are tickets plus two kinds of passes. (Recorded on Monday, November 18, 2024.) Hey, look—surprise Roderick on the Line merch! Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 558: "Good Imodium"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024


    The Problem: None of them has produced any bad. Merlin wants to play in this band. (Recorded on Monday, November 11, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 557: "Chatty G."

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024


    The Problem: John wanted to buy some holds. (Recorded on Monday, November 4, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 556: "Don't Get Cute"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024


    The Problem: John's never had one doughnut of anything. (Recorded on Monday, October 21, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 555: "Electric Bed"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024


    The Problem: If you buy it, you buy it. (Recorded on Monday, October 14, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 554: "Kiel & Bach"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024


    The Problem: John is offeroni. (Recorded on Monday, October 7, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 553: "The Behold Swish"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024


    The Problem: Let the collaboration begin. (Recorded on Monday, September 23, 2024.) This episode of Roderick on the Line is brought to you by Pika. Get 20% off your first year of Pika Pro with the special offer code, “RODERICK20.” Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 552: "A Temporal Fortnight"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024


    The Problem: Where's John's platinum record? (Recorded on Monday, September 16, 2024.) This episode of Roderick on the Line is brought to you by Pika. Get 20% off your first year of Pika Pro with the special offer code, “RODERICK20.” Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 551: "Knotty Bits"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024


    The Problem: John is sitting crisscross applesauce on a cloud. (Recorded on Monday, September 9, 2024.) This episode of Roderick on the Line is brought to you by Pika. Get 20% off your first year of Pika Pro with the special offer code, “RODERICK20.” Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 550: "Telephone Club"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024


    The Problem: The nearest charging station is in Fort Greene. (Recorded on Monday, August 26, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 549: "Smashing Kippers"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024


    The Problem: These are sex clothes. (Recorded on Monday, August 19, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 548: "Seattle Friends"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024


    The Problem: Maybe he's saving a life. (Recorded on Monday, August 12, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 547: "The Servant's Exit"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024


    The Problem: There’s a miracle chord that doesn’t exist. (Recorded on Monday, August 5, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 546: "A Sugar Season"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024


    The Problem: John doesn't usually have sympathetic issues. (Recorded on Monday, July 29, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 545: "The Lowest Person"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024


    The Problem: She was recognizing that John was corporeal. (Recorded on Monday, July 22, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 544: "The Hay Bale Stage"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024


    The Problem: Their clam is John's clam. (Recorded on Monday, July 15, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 543: "The Two Spleens"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024


    The Problem: Ken can't be the queen bee every day. (Recorded on Monday, July 8, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 542: "Mr. Mike"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024


    The Problem: John got treated like a weed. (Recorded on Monday, July 1, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 541: "Looking Over God's Shoulder"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024


    The Problem: John was a terrible edgelord. (Recorded on Monday, June 24, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 540: "Appointed Holes"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024


    The Problem: John's barrage is insane. (Recorded on Monday, June 17, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 539: "God Made the Rat"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024


    The Problem: They were grandfathered into America. (Recorded on Monday, June 10, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 538: "An Onstage Immortal"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024


    The Problem: Reckoning cost $8.69. (Recorded on Monday, June 3, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 537: "Cold Breakfast"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024


    The Problem: The first problem is ordinal. (Recorded on Monday, May 27, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 536: "The Garbage Czar"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024


    The Problem: The knives are too organized. (Recorded on Saturday, May 20, 2024) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 535: "All the Whys"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024


    The Problem: The cube is always moving through time. (Recorded on Monday, May 13, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 534: "Shibboleth Drops"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2024


    The Problem: Maybe a better term is “leveraged insophistication.” (Recorded on Monday, May 6, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

    Ep. 533: "Busty Trainfails"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024


    The Problem: What are you drinking with that American about? (Recorded on Monday, April 22, 2024.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.

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