Episode 112: Computer Grandparents

Original air date: August 15, 2019

Episode overview

The hosts lead with a TV Man local-news report about old televisions left on porches, then cover an anti-Trump boycott list and related restaurant and Bob Evans merchandise news. The hosts use their announcement feature to organize a local Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark outing and recall the Drakpak and related movie clubs. HMSS investigates recurring caller Nathan Dan, resolves the persona as Viv after Bingo's initial Chelsea slip, and continues through the related fake-profile and computer-family discussion. The hosts play Gerald 'Jerry' Wheat's voicemail about seeing a Champ-like creature in Lake Champlain as a child, invite Todd Fawcett to corroborate it, and discuss Champ and other cryptids. An immediate title reprise begins a second occurrence in which Bingo recounts missing the chance to choose a childhood prize from a relative's knickknack drawer and still being haunted by the unknown opportunity. In Round 2, Bingo and Danny write replacement captions for five one-panel comics and reveal each original; the result remains unresolved pending a later Friendship Club vote, with a Papa John's coupon offered to the eventual winner. HMSS investigates an unsolicited voicemail from Instagram follower Scott Mallory, who asks how to podcast and whether he can participate; playing his message resolves his goal of appearing on the show.

Segments

• **Newspaper Party** — 0:07:15 · citation pending — The hosts lead with a TV Man local-news report about old televisions left on porches, then cover an anti-Trump boycott list and related restaurant and Bob Evans merchandise news.
• **Top of the Morning** — 0:19:50 · citation pending — The hosts use their announcement feature to organize a local Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark outing and recall the Drakpak and related movie clubs.
• **Halfway Okay Mystery Solving Society** — 0:21:44 · citation pending — HMSS investigates recurring caller Nathan Dan, resolves the persona as Viv after Bingo's initial Chelsea slip, and continues through the related fake-profile and computer-family discussion.
• **Scary Stories to Tell in the Pod** — 0:36:46 · citation pending — The hosts play Gerald 'Jerry' Wheat's voicemail about seeing a Champ-like creature in Lake Champlain as a child, invite Todd Fawcett to corroborate it, and discuss Champ and other cryptids.
• **Scary Stories to Tell in the Pod** — 0:43:20 · citation pending — An immediate title reprise begins a second occurrence in which Bingo recounts missing the chance to choose a childhood prize from a relative's knickknack drawer and still being haunted by the unknown opportunity.
• **Just a Giggle-O** — 1:03:14 · citation pending — In Round 2, Bingo and Danny write replacement captions for five one-panel comics and reveal each original; the result remains unresolved pending a later Friendship Club vote, with a Papa John's coupon offered to the eventual winner.
• **Halfway Okay Mystery Solving Society** — 1:19:42 · citation pending — HMSS investigates an unsolicited voicemail from Instagram follower Scott Mallory, who asks how to podcast and whether he can participate; playing his message resolves his goal of appearing on the show.

Verified episode facts

• **Halfway okay mystery solving society identity result**: The recurring Nathan Dan caller persona was Viv. Bingo initially said Chelsea, then explicitly corrected the identity to Viv.
• **Just a giggle-o round 2 status**: Bingo and Danny completed captions for five comics, but the winner remained unresolved pending a later Friendship Club vote. A Papa John's coupon was offered to the eventual winner, with no recipient established in the episode; Round 1's historical result was a draw.