I’ve decided I’m going to try to get Merlin to make a Taskmaster playlist that showcases instances of why each aspect of the show is so special and elevates it above most panel AND competition shows.

"Fail the next task in the most heartbreakingly spectacular way. If you succeed in the next task, you will lose one point." This is a lot of what I love about Taskmaster in one(-ish) task. Timestamp: youtu.be/BGwPUQ2kpNo?...

In grade school people assumed fast readers were smart, but it's not like it transferred directly to practical life skills other than being able to passive aggressively let other nerds know that you're a bigger nerd.

My newest toxic trait is covertly taking pictures of strangers' well behaved dogs making funny faces.

It doesn’t do a great job of warming ears up if you’re already cold but they’re incredible at blocking wind. In fact, I actually hear better with them on top of my hat with transparency mode. I’m told it also works with Airpods Pro, but I need to get an ear flappies hat to act as the wind blocker.

as they say if i won the lottery there would be signs

The final Broadway performance of Rent filmed live in 2008 is my favorite Christmas movie. Renée Elise Goldsberry as Mimi? Come on! Holiday miracle! youtu.be/yhG3JTchKDA?...

a little early but i think i found my goty

Mattie had to work but I surprised him at midnight so we could celebrate with our annual 12:01 AM Mountain Goats dance and novelty selfie. Best one in years. ♥️🤳

it’s messed up that i was just told i’m much less relatable because despite being literally institutionalized multiple times, i’m in love with someone and have been for awhile. we’re a statistical queer anomaly! a glitch! i want to be your pal. friendship is awesome and helped me survive.

just mentioning binders was flagged as ADULT CONTENT which is a perfect example of why this website doesn’t feel as fun or chill as it used to be. i just want to make my queer jokes and post youtube videos.

"Please. My industry partners. They're very sick." techcrunch.com/2025/12/23/pir...

The FDA sent warnings to just 11 retailers that cater to a certain demographic vs the MANY generic white label brands you can find on Amazon. I’ll let you guess which of these binders they consider unsafe.

jeez the BBC really chose violence when it came to Doctor Who and Apple TV

hi just woke up from a week of the flu to log on and learn i have unregulated trans underwear and it's of national importance that it be registered as a Class I medical device www.advocate.com/politics/fda...

My sister has started asking my three-year-old niece the name of each piece of art she produces, and today's was A SPIDER WHO CRAWLS JUST LIKE A WOMAN

i am going to make it through this year if it kills me youtu.be/H7fBFtif9H4?...

You know Merlin's had a very Anglican 2025, but I've been mostly closeted about my Christie chronicles. I knew every Brit has appeared in Doctor Who and on Graham Norton, but this year I learned they're also legally required to be in an Agatha Christie Adaptation. dobyfriday.com/episodes/431

Your dad told me to get a haircut.

Improvised earmuffs.

Maybe, just this once, we give a platform to and try the ideas of literally anyone but a straight white guy—or at least one that doesn't already own a company that has a huge stranglehold on indie creators—building a "better algorithm." One time? As a treat?

(Only) two hours in, and this might be my favorite Defunctland of all time. None of you can ever prove I’m a Disney adult, but if I was, this would confirm and expanded upon many personal theories about the autonomous park interactions. If I ever had them. youtu.be/NyIgV84fudM?...

Inside you, there are two lions.

Last night, a comedian died. dobyfriday.com/episodes/428

The iPad still has the promise of being the queerest mainstream computer.

Related: his is one of the funniest things you’ll ever see. youtu.be/tNaXRADhvsM?...

Like how it’s the 25th Anniversary of Warning, Green Day’s best album (you know it YOU COWARDS) and @nikostratis.com wrote a piece about “The Unsung Queerness of Green Day Lyrics” awhile back that I still think about: magazine.catapult.co/column/stori...

Because of the way the Netflix UI hates letting you take a breath after the end of a film, not enough people know that The Mountain Goats’ cover of Jonathan Larson’s song “It Only Takes a Few” plays during the credits of “tick, tick…BOOM!” It’s really special. youtu.be/YovwHceoNsE?...

Spoilers: I was not the one who got a break from myself. I watched Totoro and read Robert Lowell poems, though! dobyfriday.com/episodes/427

Every year I update a Chicago playlist but keep the 2013 cover of an image taken on an iPhone 5 with one of the original Instagram filters. Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/2Uo... Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...

Dr. Drang did it. He finally did it. He did CHICAGO SNOW MATH. leancrew.com/all-this/2025/11...

I'm still in love with the "blend" feature, but it's been serving up embarrassing songs that makes no sense. I have plenty of embarrassing songs that I ACTUALLY listen to on repeat! (I'm shocked that one, no not that one, THAT one cover of Teenage Dream hasn't shown up.) open.spotify.com/playlist/37

we shall continue to threaten america with a good time

I’ve been accused of compulsively asking questions on podcasts when I don’t really want to know the answer, which is patently untrue. I don’t think Roderick has ever heard my voice or been influenced by my weirdness in any way, and yet lately, he too is Just Asking the Questions.

When ICE footage goes viral on Bluesky, the one spark of joy in the aftermath is finding other Chicago accounts instead of the same five popular journalists posting about our city like it’s already fallen to fascism instead of when and how neighbors are protecting one another.

david byrne shitting on ice agents was the clear best part of the show tonight but this was a close second

lmao david byrne showed the video of the ice agents tripping over themselves while trying to run after a biker on wacker drive during the “life during wartime” segment of his chicago show tonight

I continue to be SO weird.

Please give a warm welcome to the newest member of the Do By Friday team, Mr. Crumbletops! dobyfriday.com/episodes/425

the new wave of grifters including that one lawyer have absolutely zero juice. this is the lore a grift deserves.

I have wanted a social network feature like this for over a decade. I forgive Spotify for accidentally recommending “Two Headed Girl” next to “The Matt Walsh Show.” You can scrape that private RSS feed all night long.

David Fincher, Aaron Sorkin, and Rooney Mara all personally came to the theater where I was seeing The Social Network for the first time, walked up to me, and ripped my heart out of my chest.

My brain is legitimately broken.

Did one of you make this for me? I do not remember making this! Either way thank you or good job me because that's an impressive sync!

Heartbreaking news—we crossed paths just a few years ago.

never date an avoidant robot. you deserve better than a girl who nuts and bolts

Majestic.

I wonder if in his semi-retirement, Phil Schiller got a little place off Ocean Avenue.