Between The States

🎉 100 EPISODES! We actually made it! Join Dan, Noel, and Jared as we celebrate the 100th episode of Between the States, the comedy podcast where three friends turn everyday conversations into complete chaos.

How hard is it to make it to 100 podcast episodes? Apparently, harder than we thought! Only 7.5% of podcasts reach this milestone, and somehow, we're one of them.

To celebrate, we're putting our podcast history to the test with ridiculous trivia, surprising statistics, and a whole lot of questionable math. Have we produced more content than Game of Thrones, Rick and...

Are AI and piracy about to change gaming forever? Is streaming becoming more expensive than cable? And what really happened to John McAfee? This week on Between the States, Dan, Jared, and Noel dive into the weird intersection of technology, conspiracy theories, money, and everyday disasters.

From claims about AI-powered video game decompilation and PS5 games running on PC to Disney+ price increases and the return of digital piracy, the guys debate whether technology is making life better or just finding new ways to take our money.

Then things get even stranger with John McAfee's...

What if reincarnation is real, robots are secretly judging us, and the only thing separating humanity from the apocalypse is a Snickers bar?

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared welcome back returning guest Nick for another completely unhinged conversation that starts with cardboard sculptures and RC cars before spiraling into secret second families, horror movies, artificial intelligence, reincarnation, psychedelic hallucinations, and the possibility that reality itself is one giant simulation.

We kick things off with Nick's latest artistic endeavor, turning Cheez-It boxes into sculptures, before discovering that...

The garage is back in session, and this week the conversation goes completely off the rails.

Dan, Noel, and Jared catch up on expensive home improvements, squirrel-proof bird feeders, broken cars, Helldivers, and Dan’s dangerously addictive attempt at building his own idle game. From there, the guys dive into Swimply, backyard stock-tank pools, Apple Vision Pro, increasingly ridiculous school pickup lines, abandoned schools turned into dream homes, and the absolute terror of a smoke detector going off in the middle of the night.

They also get into TikTok community guideline violations, simulation theory, the Wi...

Why do Americans measure everything in football fields, school buses, blue whales, and Olympic-sized swimming pools instead of just using actual units of measurement?

This week on Between the States, we dive into the weirdest ways people describe size, distance, weight, and volume, and attempt to make all of them even more useful by converting them into the internet’s greatest unit of measurement: bananas for scale.

How many bananas long is a school bus? How many bananas tall is the Empire State Building? How many bananas fit into an Olympic-sized sw...

Season 4 of Between the States is here, and the guys are kicking things off from their glamorous new location: a cramped garage that may or may not look suspiciously like a basement.

Dan, Noel, and Jared catch up on everything from Connecticut flooding, broken lawnmowers, lawn envy, school pickup lines, Facebook Marketplace, and the bizarre idea of renting a stranger’s swimming pool through Swimply. Then things take a technological turn when Dan tries the Apple Vision Pro, leading to a discussion about virtual reality, spatial video, ridiculously expensive VR headsets, and whether the podcast could eventually ex...

What exactly is the manosphere, and how do people end up falling down the red-pill rabbit hole?

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared dive into the strange, toxic, and sometimes completely absurd world of manosphere culture. We break down terms like alpha males, beta males, incels, red pill, hypergamy, MGTOW, looksmaxxing, softmaxxing, hardmaxxing, mewing, bone smashing, pheromone maxxing, semen retention, and more, while asking why these ideas have become so appealing to some young men online.

We also look at some of the...

What happens when the world’s most famous cryptids go head-to-head with creatures from fantasy and folklore?

This week on Between the States, we’re settling the matchups nobody asked for but everyone deserves to see. Bigfoot takes on a Forest Troll, the Chupacabra battles a Red Cap Goblin, Dogman faces a Werewolf, Mokele-mbembe goes up against a Swamp Ogre, the Mongolian Death Worm meets a Sand Worm, and the Jersey Devil fights a Harpy.

We break down each monster’s strengths, weaknesses, weapons, intelligence, questionable supernatural abilities, and chances of surviving the fight. Then we com...

Bigfoot may be famous, but can he survive a cryptid power ranking against the Chupacabra, Dogman, Mokele-mbembe, the Mongolian Death Worm, Mapinguari, and the Jersey Devil?

In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Jared, and Noel dive into cryptozoology, legendary creature sightings, folklore, footprints, physical evidence, and the blurry photos that supposedly prove these monsters exist. Each cryptid is rated on strength, speed, durability, intelligence, aggression, special abilities, and combat versatility as the hosts build a bracket for an upcoming cryptids-versus-fantasy-creatures showdown.

Could Bigfoot use portals? Is the Chupacabra more dangerous in a pack...

What really happens when you win the lottery? From Powerball jackpots and Mega Millions to scratch-off tickets, lottery taxes, and lump sum versus annuity payments, Dan, Jared, and Noel explore the surprising reality behind America’s favorite get-rich-quick fantasy.

The guys break down the record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot, how much winner Edwin Castro actually took home after taxes, and why an advertised jackpot can be wildly different from the cash payout. They also discuss lottery odds, scratch-ticket superstitions, states without lotteries, where Connecticut Lottery revenue goes, and whether the popular claim that most lottery winners go broke is...

Are ghosts real, or are paranormal encounters just sleep paralysis, grief, coincidence, and an overactive imagination? Guest Stephanie joins Dan and Noel to share her strangest unexplained experiences, including a shadowy cowboy, a balloon that appeared to follow her through a haunted Victorian home, a mysterious ball of light, and security cameras that stopped recording at exactly the wrong moment.

The conversation becomes a hilarious debate between believers and skeptics as they explore real ghost stories, haunted houses, supernatural evidence, life after death, and why modern cameras still cannot seem to capture a decent ghost video. They...

Technology keeps getting smarter, but it also keeps getting creepier. In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared examine four technologies that could change how we are watched, hired, and charged for everyday purchases.

The conversation begins with Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers, including how law enforcement uses them, the potential benefits of locating missing people, and the serious privacy concerns created by widespread surveillance. The hosts then explore electronic shelf labels, personalized pricing, and the possibility of stores changing prices while customers are still shopping. They also discuss AI hiring...

Jared is on vacation, so Heidi joins Dan and Noel as they welcome special guest Bryan for a conversation about comic books, creativity, fatherhood, and refusing to give up. Bryan shares how a random idea inspired by the moon eventually became Kid Solar, an independent superhero comic set in Springfield, Massachusetts. He explains what it actually takes to produce a comic, from writing detailed scripts and hiring artists to launching a Kickstarter and dealing with an artist who disappeared with $800.

The conversation also covers Marvel versus DC, superhero movies, ADHD, religion, terrible British accents, expensive editors, creative...

In this special episode of Between the States, Dan and Noel look ahead at the future of the podcast while preparing to leave their current studio and return to where the show began. They brainstorm upcoming episode ideas including scary surveillance technology, cryptids, racist dog whistles, video games, landlords, ghosts, parasites, numerology, tourist traps, strange measurements, comedy movies, flat-pack furniture, the afterlife, and plenty of other chaotic possibilities.

The conversation moves from Flock cameras, autonomous vehicles, privacy, corporate power, and artificial intelligence to mythical creatures, bird arguments, movie genres, bad furniture instructions, and some truly...

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared take a darkly funny look at modern cults, how they operate, and why intelligent people can still get pulled into high-control groups.

The guys break down the warning signs of a cult, including authoritarian leaders, isolation from friends and family, information control, emotional manipulation, financial exploitation, forced labor, and the demand for unquestioning loyalty. They also design their own competing sun, moon, and eclipse cults, complete with recruitment strategies, sacred minivans, pyramid schemes, crop labor, and an alarming amount of violence.

Then they examine several...

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared open the door to the strange, chaotic, and occasionally traumatic world of pets. From Tamagotchis, Furbies, Chia Pets, Sea-Monkeys, pet rocks, and ant farms to pigeons, hamsters, rabbits, hermit crabs, talking parrots, rescue dogs, and possibly racist pets, no animal is safe from the conversation.

The guys share childhood pet stories, discuss animals that escaped and somehow survived, and revisit the uncomfortable experience of returning a rescue dog that was not safe around children. They also explore lobster ethics, bizarre animal-based delicacies, robot dogs, and the terrifying...

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared take a brutally funny look at Donald J. Trump the businessman, walking through decades of Trump-branded ventures, lawsuits, bankruptcies, licensing deals, casinos, steaks, vodka, watches, NFTs, phones, and more.

From the Trump Organization and Atlantic City casinos to Trump University, Trump Shuttle, Trump Steaks, Truth Social, Trump sneakers, the God Bless the USA Bible, and the $TRUMP meme coin, the guys break down how Trump built, sold, licensed, inflated, rebranded, and somehow kept moving on to the next thing. Along the way, they ask the obvious question...

Corporate buzzwords promise synergy, innovation, and strategic alignment, but do they communicate anything meaningful? Dan, Noel, and Jared break down the workplace jargon that makes meetings sound important while saying almost nothing.

The guys explore a study on “corporate bullsh*t receptivity,” decode phrases like leverage, paradigm shift, low-hanging fruit, stakeholder engagement, and move the needle, and create painfully impressive corporate mission statements of their own. They also discuss fake productivity, doing more with less, cross-training your way out of a job, dishonest company culture, and why “we’re a family here” should probably be considered a warning.<...

Summer is officially here, and the guys are celebrating by remembering when the season actually felt endless. Dan, Noel, and Jared look back on the freedom of the last day of school, disappearing on bikes until the streetlights came on, digging pointless holes, starting questionable fires, getting bikes stolen, and making the kinds of childhood decisions that somehow did not end in disaster.

Then the debate moves to everything that makes summer great, uncomfortable, or potentially dangerous. Lake, ocean, or pool? Soft serve or hard ice cream? Waffle cone or the weird cardboard-looking one? The guys also...

What happens if the internet suddenly disappears worldwide and never comes back?

In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared imagine their first 24 hours, first week, and first year in a completely offline world. Without Google, GPS, streaming, online banking, digital payments, or YouTube tutorials, everyday life quickly starts looking less like a minor inconvenience and more like an accidental apocalypse.

The conversation spirals through forgotten phone numbers, paper maps, busy signals, grocery shortages, backyard farming, questionable pickling techniques, scavenging for food, rebuilding society, the inevitable Gold Wars, and deciding...

Wilbur is back on Between The States, and this time he’s talking about his wild weight loss journey after gastric sleeve bariatric surgery. From hospital stays, dehydration scares, protein shakes, food struggles, “the foamies,” and learning how to eat all over again, Wilbur breaks down the funny, painful, and very real side of life after weight loss surgery.

Of course, this is still Between The States, so things go completely off the rails. Dan, Noel, Jared, and Wilbur also get into washed car keys, dog shows, wasp relocation, hospital gift shops, GLP-1 weight loss drugs, loose skin...

Could the Earth actually be hollow, or is Hollow Earth one of the strangest conspiracy theories ever created?

In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared dive into the wild world of the Hollow Earth theory, from ancient myths about underground civilizations to Edmund Halley’s early scientific ideas, John Cleves Symmes Jr.’s “holes” at the poles, UFO conspiracies, secret Nazi bases, and the possibility of advanced beings living beneath our feet.

Noel argues the pro-Hollow Earth side, Jared takes the scientific side against it, and Dan...

Merry Memorial Day from Between the States! This week, Dan, Noel, and Jared try to talk about the meaning and history of Memorial Day, but naturally get derailed by broken motorcycles, poison ivy, train track panic, Snap-on tools, mystery pizza delivery, Diet Purge Day, Memorial Day sales, poppies, cookout food debates, hot dogs vs. hamburgers, and whether “Merry Memorial Day” should ever be said out loud.

It’s part Memorial Day trivia, part chaotic friend hangout, and part completely unnecessary argument about burgers, donuts, pizza routes, and the strange traditions people attach to long weekends. If you...

This week on Between the States, Dan, Jared, and Noel dive into the Dark Triad: narcissism, sociopathy, and Machiavellian behavior. What starts as a conversation about personality types quickly turns into a chaotic breakdown of grocery cart abandoners, loud movie talkers, manipulative salesmen, billboard lawyers, and whether society rewards confidence more than competence.

The guys also wander into Mother’s Day stories, pergolas versus pavilions, pellet smokers, Trump phones, license plate mysteries, and the birth of their own personality system: jackasses, pricks, social engineers, and the surprisingly wholesome “Humboff.”

If you have e...

This week on Between the States, the guys dive into some of the strangest laws still on the books in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Connecticut, and the bizarre history behind them.

From anti-silly-string ordinances and arcade machine limits to adultery laws, blasphemy statutes, drunk cable car rules, and regulations on margarine pretending to be butter, the conversation spirals into the weirdest corners of American law and local government.

Along the way, the crew also talks about:
• Allergy medicine disasters and accidental Sudafed overdoses
• Electric lawnmowers and the death of extension-cord mowing
• Rabbits with milita...

This week on Between the States, the guys dive into the world of retail, what’s really going on behind the shelves, the counter, and the “sales” you think you’re getting.

From working in hardware stores, fast food, electronics, and grocery delis, they break down the real tactics retailers use to influence how you shop… and how much you spend.

They get into:

What do phrases like “spill the beans,” “three sheets to the wind,” and “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” actually mean, and where did they come from?

This week on Between the States, Dan, Noel, and Jared dive deep into the strange, hilarious, and sometimes confusing world of idioms. From their surprising origins in nautical terms, horse culture, and everyday life, to the rapid evolution of modern slang like “touch grass,” “no cap,” and “main character energy,” the guys break down how language evolves across generations.

Along the way, expect:

This week on Between the States, the guys take on one of the biggest questions out there:

Where are all the aliens?

From the Fermi Paradox to the Dark Forest Theory, the conversation dives into why, if the universe is so massive, we haven’t seen any clear evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Is intelligent life just incredibly rare?
 Are advanced civilizations hiding on purpose?
 Or are we early… or completely alone?

The episode spirals (in the best way) through:

This week on Between the States, the guys dive headfirst into the wild world of scams, fraud, and everyday deception, from obvious cons to the blurry line between business, marketing, and straight-up scamming.

What actually is a scam? Is it outright theft, misleading advertising, or just “good business”? The conversation spirals (as it should) through real-life scam stories, shady automotive practices, fake IRS calls, crypto cons, Facebook Marketplace traps, and those mall kiosks that somehow still exist.

Along the way, the crew breaks down:

What happens when three guys sit down to talk about music… and immediately spiral into stories about game scams, resurrecting broken consoles, dead mice in dryers, and morally questionable life choices?

In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Jared, and Noel kick things off with wild real-life stories before diving into a brutally honest and hilarious discussion about music. From guilty pleasures and controversial lyrics to concerts that changed everything (or ruined it), nothing is off limits.

💥 In this episode:

Kyle joins the Between the States crew to talk cars… and things spiral fast.

From gas vs electric debates to one of the worst workdays imaginable, this episode goes completely off the rails. We get into real car talk, ridiculous hypotheticals, and the kind of chaotic stories you can’t make up.

🚗 Kyle breaks down car opinions (and sparks a debate)
 🧰 A toolbox disaster turns into a full-blown nightmare
 🐿️ A squirrel steals pizza… through the box
 ❄️ Kyle experiences his first brutal Northeast winter
 😂 And somehow it all connects

If you like unfiltered con...

Season 3 of Between the States kicks off with Dan, Jared, and Noel celebrating the podcast’s one-year anniversary and jumping straight into a mix of science fiction discussions, gaming, movies, and real-life stories.

In this episode we:

In this episode of Between the States, the crew sits down with special guest Drew for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with Dungeons & Dragons and quickly spirals into music, gaming nostalgia, internet culture, and the strange corners of the modern world.

Drew shares how a pandemic hobby turned into a six-year D&D campaign, complete with custom world-building, time travel storylines, and the chaos of running a tabletop RPG with friends and family. The guys break down how D&D actually works, from dungeon masters and dice rolls to character creation and storytelling. 

Along the w...

 In this episode of Between the States, Dan, Jared, Noel, and returning guest Kendra dive into the world of animation. From classic 90s cartoons and Disney movies to modern shows like Invincible, Hazbin Hotel, and anime favorites, the group talks about the animation styles, voice actors, and childhood shows that stuck with them. Along the way they debate terrible CGI from the past, iconic cartoon theme songs, and which animated animals they might actually survive fighting. 

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Episodes available on YouTube:
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This week features a conversation between Dan, Tara, and her cousin and best friend, Meghan. The dialogue serves as a reunion and introduction, tracing Meghan’s history from her upbringing on Long Island to her current life in Pennsylvania. Meghan candidly discusses her career transitions from the military and corrections to child welfare and her current role in construction safety. The tone shifts between irreverent humor and profound vulnerability as she reflects on the loss of her two brothers to suicide. They explore family dynamics, childhood memories, and the importance of setting boundaries with relatives who do not share th...

In this chaotic and hilarious episode of Between The States, Dan, Jared, and Noel dive into everything from Roblox millionaires and disturbing online experiences to alien invasion dreams and the psychological damage of working retail. The guys react to listener feedback, debate whether Roblox development money is worth selling your soul, and share wild personal stories including Navy nipple piercings, smashing fluorescent bulbs, and returning cans for deposit money.

Dan surprises Noel with a deeply unsettling handmade gift tied to a traumatic former job, while the group discusses Valentine’s Day, garage discoveries, and childhood misconceptions about dr...

Nancy joins the show as the group attempts to wrap their heads around two of the most confusing and talked-about topics today: artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. Coming at it from the perspective of people who don’t claim to be experts, the conversation is full of honest questions, skepticism, and plenty of moments where things make less sense the more they’re explained. From wondering what AI actually can and can’t do, to trying to figure out why cryptocurrency exists at all, it’s a relatable, funny, and sometimes frustrating attempt to understand technologies that everyone talks about but few...

This week we welcome back Del!

This episode starts with jokes, side conversations, and yes, poop, before sliding into a more honest discussion about men’s mental health, stress, and delayed emotional processing. The guys talk about reacting first, brushing things off, and only realizing later that something actually stuck.

The conversation turns toward how men often cope by minimizing, using humor, or avoiding naming what’s wrong in the moment. It’s a mix of laughing, oversharing, and reflecting after the fact, exactly how these conversations tend to happen in real l...

 This week we welcome back Lachlan! 

We discus all things horror. From movies to video games and the tropes we all know and love/hate. 

What makes you scared?

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Welcoming Kate back to the podcast

Follow Kate: https://www.tiktok.com/@_katesaint_

This week we touch on:
 🥂 Working Brunch
 🏷️ Store brand foods
 😑 Getting dad joked in public
 📣 Cheer-leading
 🧠 Explaining sports
 🎸 Playing bass
 🛷 Swimming while sledding
 💃 Prom memories
 😲 Tattoo surprise
 👨‍👩‍👧 Generational parenting
 🤥 Lying kids
 🌱 Free range parenting
 🥺 Kids saying “I wish...”
 🍖 Meat in our mouth making noise
 🎮 Video game talk
 📢 Quick callout 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Episodes available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@BetweenTheStates

Follow us on Social Me...