In 2012, I discovered the phenomenon of podcasts, and one of these podcasts was hosted by two wonderful people, a couple with the last name McElroy. Through that podcast (Sawbones), I discovered the whole beautiful family of weird, fun podcasts that I love listening to. They are funny, smart, and interesting; and I soon introduced as many friends as I could to their podcasts. With this article, I continue my mission of spreading the great word of McElroy content.
My Brother, My Brother, and Me
This is the big one. The OG McElroy podcast. Brothers Travis, Justin, and Griffin McElroy run this “advicecast for the modern era”, a podcast that “turns your questions alchemy-like into wisdom.” A combination of audience-sent questions and questions dug up from the quality website Yahoo Answers, the brothers give questionable “advice” fraught with jokes that aren’t for the babies out there. Hilarious, irreverent, and brilliant: the McElroy brothers deliver a podcast for the ages. If you’re going to listen to one McElroy show, it should be this one.
The brothers are joined by their father Clint in an epic journey throughout the fantastical world of Dungeons and Dragons. Taako the elven magician, Magus Burnsides the fighter, and Merle Highchurch, the cleric traverse the worlds of Neverwinter, Fandalin, and of course, the Fantasy Costco. While it’s a bit of a time commitment to start from the beginning, I’ve followed this podcast since it started, and it’s been amazing to see it grow from four shmucks playing DnD, killing and looting an unnecessary number of creatures, to a well-developed, intricately told, and inspiring story. Alternatively, step into their new season: featuring Aubrey (the Lady Flame), Duck Newton, and Ned Shikane, three residents of Keppler, West Virgina, who are caught up in an epic battle between the two worlds.
A personal favorite, Sawbones details “all the odd, weird, wrong, dumb and just gross ways we’ve tried to fix people over the years.” They’ve covered everything from trepanation to Pliny the Elder, and recently, the controversy surrounding J. Marion Simms, the “father of gynecology.” Hosts Justin and Dr. Sydnee McElroy handle topics that range from hilarious to horrifying with ease and poise and, of course, jokes.
Don’t want the commitment of a weekly podcast? Tune into ‘Til Death Do Us Blart, an annual podcast that reviews the timeless movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. Along with Tim Batt and Guy Montgomery, Justin, Travis, and Griffin offer startling insights not limited to similarities to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and the inevitability of Kevin James gaining superpowers. ‘Til Death Do Us Blart is released every American Thanksgiving and will continue until the eventual end of the universe. The hosts are only freed upon their death.
Sisters Sydnee McElroy, Teylor Smirl, and Rileigh Smirl offer a multigenerational perspective on pressing topics such as sexism, procrastination, and conspiracy theories. The youngest sister Rileigh has just embarked on her journey into college, making this a relevant podcast for Her Campus readers. Look no further for wisdom and cool teen goofs.
Do you like the format of Sawbones, but wish they talked about law instead? Join Mike Meadows (lawyer) and Tommy Smirl (dude) in this exploration of cutting issues like: “How can you avoid trespassing while playing Pokemon GO?” and “Is ‘To Catch a Predator’ entrapment?”
The McElroy Brothers Will Be in Trolls 2
This podcast deserves an honorable mention for sheer effort. Started in May 2017 after Justin’s daughter expressed a great love for the movie Trolls, Travis, Justin, and Griffin talk to experts in the field to find out just how possible it would be for them to get into Trolls 2. Last episode, they announced that they were given small parts in the movie, as reported by Vanity Fair. So as of right now, the McElroy brothers will indeed be in Trolls 2.
That’s right, my boys even have a TV show. I’ll let the show’s synopsis do the rest: “The McElroy brothers are not experts, and their advice should never be followed. Justin, Travis, and Griffin are three brothers from Huntington, West Virginia who have turned their popular comedy podcast into an advice show that frequently spins out of control and barely offers any advice.”
Want even more McElroys? Go to www.mcelroyshows.com for the entire list of their projects.