Topics and Tangents

Welcome to the Pilot episode of The Dungeon - The Daily Gravy's first D&D podcast!Grab those dice, paint those figures, and clutch those character sheets as Dungeoncaster Mort and Dungeoncaster Kate take you on a trip through the world of D&D, educating you on D&D's past, as well as introducing D&D's MVPs.

Wait Taylor & Emily are on Topics and Tangents for this episode?! Oh heck yes they are! Join Kate, Taylor & Emily as they talk about their personal spoopy experiences and the experiences of some family members. Listen in and get creeped out! Stay spoopy everyone 

This week Kate attempts to face her fears of modern horror by looking back in time. Join Mort & Kate as they again discuss spoopy things to celebrate spooktober! Spoilers of some old school stuff will ensue so listen at your own risk. 

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST 3 EPISODES OF THE JUNJI ITO COLLECTION, DEADPOOL, DEADPOOL 2, A QUIET PLACE, LOGAN, AND GET OUT.Just a heads up, this one's a bit lengthy, so... you know... Go to the bathroom or make a snack or whatever.It's week one of Hallowpalooza! That's right, Mort and Kate will be bringing you the very best of Halloween each week this month. This episode, Mort introduces Kate to the marvelous mind of Junji Ito, with tales of terror, bloodshed, and awkward teenage cringe. Listen... IF YOU DARE!

Oh Hey there! Have a little time on your Tuesday? Your day a bit dull? Wishing it were Friday already? Escape for a bit by listening in as Mort and Kate discuss the 60s, The Government & some interesting experiments. Listen in and laugh along. You can always claim you are educating your brain space. 

This week Kate & Mort discuss laws and policies that are just plain silly. Just because they want to help you win the “how I got arrested/fined” stories. Your hosts have your back!

We all have a favorite actor (which is, of course, Jason Statham).. Sometimes, we'll even have a favorite studio. But people don't often consider the importance of directors, who have to dictate just how a scene plays out, and how characters should react to said scene. For that reason, Mort and Kate take some time to get... *ahem*... "Animated" (that joke will make sense in a bit, trust us) about their favorite director.And... Action!

Yes, yes, we know. Literacy are hard. After a long day of mind-numbing television, the last thing you want to do is subject yourself to books. Thankfully, Kate and Mort have found two authors that just might make your travel along the reading rainbow just a little bit easier.

Back by popular demand (or should we say... De-DAN-d?) Kate and Mort are here to share four more monsters with you, our beloved listeners. That's right, four monsters! And you didn't even have to visit Congress! Zing! It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Anyways, tune in to discover different ways that people have creeped themselves out. Maybe next installment we'll cover McConnell. Double Zing!!

We understand that it may be difficult, under our current political divide, to celebrate the revolution that led to our nation's freedom. For that reason, we've decided to cover other country's freedoms! Join Kate and Mort as they discuss two other countries who decided to fight the system.Freedom: It's not just for 'Murica.

Hey, kids. Mort here. Kate had a description, but I decided to rewrite it because I want to talk to you about bad daddies. That's right, I said bad daddies. For this special Father's day episode, Mort and Kate discuss some real naughty daddies, and- What? We were absent for Father's Day? Well, I mean, it's symbolic and stuff. Apple and tree and stuff. Great. Now I'm too depressed to make this sexy. Just... just enjoy the episode.

It's that special time of the year. No, not National Candy Month. I mean, yes, it is National Candy Month, but that's not super important. Stop pouting. Brush your teeth. It's Pride Month, the time of year where the LGBT community are able to stand in the spotlight, free from fear of ostracization and prejudice, free to be who they are, free to love as they were meant to love. But just where did Pride come from? As with every group of minorities, the LGBT community has faced its fair share of trials and tribulations. Join Mort and Kate as they discuss the origins of Pride, as well as some helpful tips for anyone choosing to attend a Pride parade, whether you're LGBT, or a caring ally.For more info on Mort's story, visit this website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-participants/

Join Mort and Kate as they use their powers of heavy sarcasm and research to talk to you about some under appreciated war heros!

This episode, Kate and Mort are back, and--hey, is it cool if they talk about a couple of moms for a sec?

For a race that is trying its hardest to survive, we sure do enjoy thinking up things to torment and destroy us. Nuclear weapons, Justin Bieber, Yoga, Big Foot… Yeah, that’s right. Big Foot. Over the years, mankind has created more than a few mythical creatures to delight and terrify. So many, in fact, that we felt the need to teach you about some of them. Join Kate and Mort as they take a look at a few of the imaginative beasts that haunt our dreams. Then let us know what you think! Do you want more monsters? Or do you struggle enough with sleep?

"It's a man's world". Or so says James Brown. It's often easy to forget the women that have a great impact in our history. Sure, we all know about Joan D'arc and Mother Teresa, but what about the others? What about the lesser known women that we don't even hear about? On this first episode of Topics and Tangents, Mort and Kate educate listeners on two important female figures that the American School system may have forgotten about, but we sure haven't.

Why, hello, Canada. You're looking great today. Of course, you always look great, don't you? Oh, don't worry, we're not here to make fun of you. No sir, absolutely not. What? No, it's not because we just googled Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith. Nor is it because his complete disdain for authority and his predisposition for murdering every Nazi ever makes him absolutely terrifying. Kat and Mort are just here to educate you, that's all. So enjoy this episode, Canada. Please?

Animals: There more than what's for dinner. Sometimes, they're entertaining characters in a documentary. Sometimes they're terrifying nightmares (thanks, Australia!). Whatever they are, you can be sure that Mort and Kate will be there to give you the scoop on  all members of the Animal Kingdom, big or small (or digital).

We know what you’re thinking. “A short episode? What the heck?” Relax. Great things come in small packages (at least, that's what Mort tells everyone). Did you know that Pong was not the first video game? Did you know that televisions were invented in 1922? How about the fact that A&W has a breakfast menu… that isn’t very good? This is but the tip of the iceberg of what you’ll learn in this short (ish) episode in which Mort educates a very reluctant Ricky in one country’s reaction to a genre of music that is by no means spoiled by the title of the episode. At all.

NEW YEAR (kinda), WHO DIS? Kate and Mort are looking at making some changes to Wait, What?, and they want YOU to let them know what you’re wanting to hear. With that in mind, the two try out a new format this week: No guests, two (mini) topics, same sense of humor (or lack thereof). This episode, it’s a double whammy of landmarks in Holland. Next episode, who knows? Actually, Mort knows, but he isn’t telling. We’ll have to get back to you.

Canadians are an interesting people. They're polite, they love hockey, and they refuse to understand the definition of bacon. These differences may seem confusing to the average American, but for those of you for which that is the case, never fear! Mort has done his research, and he is ready to educate everyone on what is referred to in Quebec as "Required Learning". So grab that maple syrup, slap on a furry hat, and get your learnin' on as Mort and Kat build that bridge to bring our nations closer.

Say there's something you want. You make an attempt to obtain it. You soon discover that it's out of your reach. How do you reaction? If you're Mort or any of his friends, your answer is probably "Give up", or perhaps even "Binge watch Hannibal for the 13th time" (we may have an obsession). But for this French student in the 1800s, the answer was "obsess over it for a couple of years until you figure it out." Hell yeah, France. Join Maggie of Cool Story, Needs More Girls and Kate as they discover the origin story that affects how people communicate to this day.

Are you suffering from cabin fever? Debating venturing into the cold? That's dumb, don't do that to yourself. Instead sit down, pop your prescribed Vitamin D pill, turn on your HappyLight and listen in as Kate, Emily and Taylor discuss winter, pulpsticks and the importance of hats!

We know, things look dire now. But as the saying goes, it's always darkest before the dawn. We had the Great Depression, followed by the New Deal. We had hippies, then we had haircuts. We had Zack Snyder, then we... Okay, still working on that one. This episode, Mort reminds us of the way things were, and what they could be again, if everyone just stopped and worked together. So enjoy this story, and the next time you hear about Mitch McConnell eating a baby, remember: It could be so different. Starring Jake and Taylor.

Is the state of things making you feel a little out of the holiday spirit? Maybe forgetting about what's going on in our crazy neck of the woods, and focusing on another countries' traditions will set you back in the right mood.Join Kate, Jake and Michelle as they discuss good ol' St. Nicholas and how the Dutch celebrate his birthday!

It's that time of the year! Christmas is around the corner and it's the perfect time to hit the slopes. Okay, it's in the upper 40's right now, but still. Let's pretend it's winter for a moment. No? Okay, then learn about someone who thrives in the winter while you wait for that snow day that you're not getting until mid-February. LISTEN as Mort tells the tale of a famous snowboarder. WONDER as it's revealed that he's not that bad a guy. RECOIL as Lizz and Bobbi lavish him with hatred anyways because... reasons. Maybe they never learned to ski? Who knows.

On today's episode, Kate and friends discuss old school medicine. Until pretty recently, the medical field was risky, dirty and, often, frightening.  One man set out to make life less risky for women with pregnancy complications, but in reality he is responsible destroying the lives of dozens of women and children in the name of experimentation. Hey, they can't all be about japanese vocaloids and boner jokes. Join us as we take the road less traveled, and even less discussed. Content warning: discussion of medical issues and proceedures related to childbirth, racism, human experimentation, infant death. Starring: Taylor and Mort. 

Being a pagan is hard. One minute you're trying to sacrifice an animal to the gods and start a raging bonfire, the next minute you're being told that some strange Jesus guy doesn't approve and that you have to wake up at 6 am on a Sunday to go talk to him about it. Holy holidays can be lame. But why should they be? Mort explains why we should appreciate Halloween as something more than a reason to get drunk and egg your neighbor Greg's house.Topics included: Ghosts, christian scheming, how to drink a car bomb, shame and the German beaches you should feel it on.Starring Jake, Steve, and Michelle.

In this week of Hallowpalooza, Mort introduces us to the creepy pasty boy who grew up to become H.P. Lovecraft. Listen in disbelief as he describes his unhealthy sleep schedule! Recoil in terror as he quotes his wife's views on abstinence! Blink in confusion as Mort reveals that this whole episode is but a ruse to convert his friends to his cult!Starring cultists Bobbi, Jake, and Michelle.

Welcome to Week 3 of Hallowpalooza! Urban Legends: Based on truth? Or pure hogwash? Sometimes, the line between the two begin to blur and all you're left with is a spine tingling tale akin to the one Kate shares this week with Bobbi and Jake.Topics include: Bunnies and hatchets and children, oh my! Mel Brookes blasphemy, serial killers, yet another example of just how creepy Mort can be. And... PIGEON GHOSTS?!? WOOOOO!

Apologies for the audio issues on this one. Maybe think of it as...spooky ambiance? Either way, we recommend listening with headphones. Welcome to Week 2 of Hallowpalooza! This time, we crank the spoopiness up to 15… 15 days without sleep! Which is what you will experience after listening to this creepypasta! Okay, perhaps not, but it’s still pretty darn spoopy. Listen as Mort describes his favorite frightening tale from the internet, and just how close to the truth it comes. Starring Taylor and Coach V. WOOOOOOO! 3SPOOPY5ME! WOOOOOOOO!

Welcome to Hallowpalooza! That’s right, every week in October, you lucky souls will have a new episode of Wait, What? covering various topics of horror and Halloween. This week, Mort discusses one of his favorite horror-themed artists. Topics include: Pee Wee Herman, Bats, Willy Wonka, Beavis and Butthead, Clowns. Also starring Michelle, Jake, and Bobbi.

You're all going to die. No, that's not a threat, that's just a fact. We are all born, we live, we die. But have you considered where you're going when you die? Physically, that is. This week, Kate lifts the pale veil and educates Mort and Bobbi on some options that await then beyond the grave.

Technology is an amazing thing. It has allowed people to walk when they don't have legs. It has shortened the distance between faraway lands. It has given T Pain and Lil' Jon a career. This episode, we examine the last point by taking a long, hard look at a particular piece of software that has taken the world by storm. We also discuss technology that *shouldn't* exist, but in all honesty, probably will. Starring: Mort, Kate, Taylor, and Lizz.

Silver Lining (n): A term for finding a positive aspect of a generally negative situation. Advancing medicine in light of a new epidemic. Safety equipment engineered after a tragic death. Finding new appreciation for Marvel after watching Suicide Squad and Batman Vs Superman. This episode, Mort, Jake, and Sam discuss a specific silver lining, one created from one of the darkest, most tragic moments in human history: WWII. Included: Suicide Squad. Gadzookie. Weebs. Robot Boys. Suicide Squad. Moon-shaped projectiles. Power Rangers. Bastards and their bastard beams. What else? Hmmm… Oh yeah! There’s also Suicide Squad.PS. Yes, we are sorry about the title. 

This episode we do something a little different. No, not that. Weirdo. This time, Mort's taking a break while Kate does the educating! Come listen to a tale of snitching, Calico cats, and gender swapping with Lizz and Taylor!

Hello, listeners. Are you comfortable? I hope you are. Have you been working out? You look really good. Not that you normally don’t, it’s just… Mmmm… Anyways, I hope you have about half an hour of time to step into our little playpen as Mortimer Langford makes his friends Taylor and Bobbi VERY uncomfortable as he fills them with knowledge.

Kings. Emperors. Presidents. Dave Mustaine once said “His idle hands, the Devil’s workshop, generate more smoke than heat.” And in our current age of fake news this seems truer than ever before. But has it always been this way? Has mankind always been ruled by dick-tators? Join Mortimer Langford, Lizz, and Jake as they examine the life and times of one ancient ruler who, by all rights, should probably consider suing Disney.

Moving can be tough. Especially if it’s to a completely different climate. And everyone hates you. And your spouse is double your age. Join Mortimer Langford and friends as they discuss 16th Century queen Bona Sforza, and how she dealt with the ungrateful Polish nobility. Mostly with murder.