Topic: Slang

Lake Superior State University released its annual tongue-in-cheek list of overused words and phrases to be banished for 2026. Top offenders include "viral," "demure," "cooked," "incentivize," and "full stop." The hosts agree with the inclusion of "my bad," criticizing it as a grammatically poor substitute for a genuine apology.

A new slang trend involving the numbers "6-7" has gone viral on TikTok, originating from a rap song by Skrilla. Teachers and parents report that the phrase is used primarily to confuse and annoy adults, as it has no inherent meaning. The segment compares this to previous generational slang like "skibidi" and "ohio," noting that modern youth trends are increasingly designed as a form of disrespectful annoyance toward authority figures.

Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro released a video using Gen Z slang such as "skibidi," "sus," and "rizzler" to discuss House appropriations and Project 2025. The hosts mock the attempt at a viral moment, describing the veteran politician as "deluded" for using the terminology.

Adam Curry recounts a dinner conversation where he learned the slang term "dipping," meaning to leave. He expresses his disdain for modern "street" terminology being used at his table.

The hosts discuss rumors regarding Vice President Kamala Harris's public demeanor, speculating that she may be using the benzodiazepine Ativan. The conversation includes a brief look at the continued relevance of the slang term "strung out."

A fourth-grade teacher expresses anxiety on TikTok over students using slang terms like "sheesh" and "fire," fearing it constitutes cultural appropriation from people of color. The teacher seeks advice on whether to ban the terms or require students to research their cultural origins. This is presented as an example of the hyper-fixation on social justice issues within modern education.

A trivia segment tested knowledge of 1960s and 1970s slang terms, including "threads" for clothes, "boss" for something fine, and "the boob tube" for television. Other terms discussed included "wigged out," "square," and "kicks." The segment highlighted how many of these phrases have either disappeared or changed meanings in modern English.

Trevor Noah hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner, where he joked about modern conspiracy theories and the political divide. The hosts transition into a comparison between current events and the 1970s, debating the origins of various slang terms like "cats" and "neato." They suggest that the current political and economic climate closely mirrors the instability of the Nixon and Carter eras.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open Episode 1446 from Texas and Northern Silicon Valley. Dvorak initiates a "70s Flashback" challenge, planning to integrate ten specific slang terms from the 1970s into the conversation to see if Curry can identify them. The hosts briefly touch upon the public's demand for their opinion regarding Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.

The Department of Homeland Security has established a new "Disinformation Governance Board" headed by Nina Jankowicz to combat "fake news" regarding immigration and Russia. The hosts mock the board as a "censorship bureau" before concluding the show. John C. Dvorak reveals which 1970s slang terms Adam Curry missed, and the episode ends with a custom music mix featuring themes of Elon Musk and government mandates.

A segment on *The View* featured a guest flashing an engagement ring and shouting "Ice!" to the audience. This behavior is identified as a modern trend among women to signal their engaged status. The clip is presented as an example of the low-brow nature of daytime talk show "news" analysis.

A new slang term, "vaxxhole," has emerged to describe individuals who brag about their vaccination status and belittle those who remain unvaccinated. Analysts suggest that media coverage often highlights extremist "anti-vax" views to make moderate skepticism appear unreasonable, a common tactic in pharmaceutical marketing.

The term "coronials" is suggested for the current generation, though it receives a mixed reception. A listener report notes a shift in social etiquette where casual acquaintances have begun saying "I love you" as a standard goodbye, replacing the "stay safe" meme.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is criticized for her performance as a DNC host, with the hosts noting her status as a billionaire heir to the Dreyfus family fortune. A joke she made mispronouncing Vice President Mike Pence's name as "Puntz" is pointed out as a potential gaffe, as "punce" or "poontz" is considered a derogatory slur in Australian slang. The segment suggests the DNC failed to fact-check the comedic material.

Artist Darren O'Neill won his 33rd artwork competition for the podcast with a piece titled "I Heart Poot," referencing a verbal slip by Amy Goodman regarding Pete Buttigieg. The title inadvertently contained a Dutch slang term for "gay," which the hosts found humorous despite a lack of recognition from the general audience.

A segment titled "The Dirty Thirty" explores slang terms from the 1930s. Terms discussed include "Roscoe" and "Gat" for guns, "Blower" for a telephone, "Big Apple" for a city, and "Cinder Dick" for a railroad detective. The hosts discuss the etymology and potential for bringing these phrases back into modern usage.

The "Dirty Thirty" slang segment continues with terms like "Chicago Overcoat" (a coffin) and "Chicago Typewriter" (a Thompson submachine gun). Other terms discussed include "Cinder Dick" (railroad detective), "Dog Soup" (water), and "Cement Mixer" (a bad dancer).

John C. Dvorak addresses a listener email criticizing his frequent use of the phrase "you know" during the podcast. The hosts discuss their mutual habit of catching each other's verbal tics and lip-smacking. They compare modern filler words to 1970s speech patterns and millennial slang.

The hosts explore the millennial term "bet" as a replacement for "you bet" or "agreed," framing it as part of a broader "compression culture." They observe that younger generations are shortening language and using emojis to communicate more information in less time, similar to "jive talk" from previous eras.

The hosts discuss the listener-contributed artwork for episode 1034, titled "The Privilege Walk," which features a roll of quarters. A linguistic tangent explores the use of the term "the meads" as millennial slang for social media. The value-for-value model is reinforced as the primary support system for the program.