That Sounds Like A Lot with Matt Buechele – Details, episodes & analysis

When the news starts to feel like too much, sometimes all you can do is laugh. On his new podcast, That Sounds Like A Lot, comedian and writer Matt Buechele walks you through the biggest news of the week, then sits down with a guest to figure out what is actually worth paying attention to. This is not the place to get the news. It is the place to feel a little better about it. New episodes every Friday starting May 1, part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Subscribe below to watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@thatsoundslikealot ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social LISTEN ►Spotify: http://vmpod.co/tslalspot ►Apple Podcasts: http://vmpod.co/tslalapple⁠ __________ ABOUT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT Every Friday, viewers and listeners can tune in for host Matt Buechele’s upgraded “walk-and-talk” monologue, unpacking the stories that shape culture, politics, and the increasingly strange rhythms of modern life. Each episode then expands into a funny, thoughtful conversation with a guest about what actually deserves attention, what’s wildly overhyped, and what we’re getting wrong. There might be music. There might be absurdity. There will always be laughs. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. ABOUT MATT BUECHELE Matt Buechele is an award-winning comedian, writer, and composer based in New York. His satirical videos about culture, politics, masculinity, and the internet have earned nearly 1 million followers and more than 200 million views across platforms. His work has been featured on Comedy Central, Netflix, and The New York Times, and he previously wrote for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also releases music under the artist name Booshell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele walks-and-talks his way through the White House Correspondents' Dinner chaos, the case for adding ballrooms to every school in America, and why we've gotten numb to political violence to the point that half the country just calls it staged. This is That Sounds Like a Lot, the show where comedian Matt Buechele breaks down the news of the week (even when it’s way too much) and talks to interesting people about what’s actually worth paying attention to. This week, Matt sits down with comedian and author Zach Zimmerman to talk about dating apps (Zach is a bi king now), attachment styles, and growing up around conservative religion. Topics - Body image and online presence - Dating, bisexuality, and polyamory - Attachment styles and over-pathologizing - Religious upbringings and family dynamics - Standup, career motivation, and creative risk - Phones, attention, and “the brick” - Consumer rewards, coffee, and everyday economics - Substances: weed, gummies, and shrooms - Listener advice - “too much” or manageable situations - Zach’s new book: Ship Mother and parent-child reconciliation - Art-making in dark times and “hope as a discipline” - Comedic predictions CHAPTERS 00:00:00 White House Correspondence Dinner and Gunman Manifestos 00:03:00 Zach Zimmerman on the Video Podcast Body Reveal 00:04:59 Entering the Bi King Era and Dating App Boundaries 00:07:55 Roasting Matt Buechele’s Avoidant Attachment Style 00:13:02 The Pastor to Comedian Pipeline and Religious Upbringing 00:18:32 Using the Brick Phone to Kill the Scroll 00:21:35 The Aging Crisis and Creative Resistance 00:26:05 Dunkin Rewards Point Inflation and Loyalty Program Betrayal 00:34:24 That Sounds Like A Lot Construction Worker Woods Poop 00:41:27 Ship Mother and the Chaos of a Bermuda Cruise 00:53:29 Hope is a Discipline and Creating Art During a War 01:01:46 The Protestant Theology of the Rapture and Vanishing People That Sounds Like A Lot is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions and Port Royale in partnership with Vox Media and AND Media. Music by Matt Buechele. FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele rants through the escalating Iran conflict, Operation Epic Fury, the collapse of Spirit Airlines, and why it suddenly feels like Americans are paying more for everything while somehow getting the bolted-down lawn chair version of life. Then he sits down with comedian Jay Jurden to talk about accidentally wandering into the Ralph Lauren mansion on the Upper East Side, the changing comedy landscape, internet masculinity, growing up queer in Mississippi, and why suddenly every man in his 30s seems to be on Propecia. Topics: - Luxury fever dreams - Consumerism vs. longevity - The "death of expertise" - The manosphere pipeline - Captive audiences and "murder world" death machines. - Men’s maintenance era - Crypto is chlamydia - Pixelated sexual awakenings - The mandatory metropolitan draft - Remarkable vs. Relatable - The "Sheriff of the C-Train" - Aging and persistence - Comedic predictions CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Operation Epic Fury and the Spirit Airlines Rosary 00:06:33 The Vacation Tax: Mississippi Parents vs. London Weddings 00:13:45 The Death of Expertise: Why Vibes Ruined the Skillset 00:19:30 Being Remarkable vs. Relatable: The Magician's Craft 00:26:03 The Mr. Beast Pipeline and the Rise of Aggrieved Youth 00:32:30 From AOL Chatrooms to the Mandatory Metropolitan Draft 00:39:01 American Ninja Industry: Holding onto the Next Career Grip 00:45:30 Commercials for Opinions: Readjusting Post-2020 Expectations 00:52:42 Crypto is Chlamydia: Captchas and Investment Red Flags 00:58:45 The Men's Maintenance Era: Propecia and Aging Gracefully 01:04:36 Luxury Grievances: The Delta One TSA Disaster 01:11:30 The Accidental Boomer and Predicting the First Queer NBA Star That Sounds Like A Lot is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions and Port Royale in partnership with Vox Media and AND Media. Music by Matt Buechele. FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down the impossible cost of modern life, and why everything feels like a luxury experience or a gambling app. Then, on his way to jury duty, Matt reflects on America’s inability to sit quietly in a room for three hours without pretending to be racist to get out of it. Then he sits down with writer and journalist Chloé Cooper Jones for a conversation about chaotic weekends in upstate New York, swimming in lakes that may or may not heal you spiritually, and the strange intimacy of male friendship. They also talk about disability, ambition, why reading is sexy, and the freedom that comes with getting old enough to stop caring what strangers think of you. Topics covered:  - The Fiddler on the Roof audition  - Disability in the media - Writing for the 14-year-old self - Looksmaxxing & longevity biohacking through reading - The “saintly” trap & disability as inevitability  - The labor of being seen - Mortal peril as a love language - The Anti-Inspiration Narrative - G-suite infidelity Chapters: 00:00:00 Dynamic Pricing and the Rising Cost of Living  00:01:26 Matt’s Jury Duty Experience  00:03:13 The Used Swim Goggles Gift  00:05:28 The Farm Stand Fiasco & "Trump Ate My Dog" Shirt  00:11:52 Lake Minnewaska and the "Pearl vs. Maniac" Dynamic  00:17:17 Running 18 Miles to the Beaches of Normandie  00:25:22 Growing Up in Kansas and the Power of Libraries  00:31:38 The Theater Audition That Changed Everything  00:40:42 Rejecting Expectations and Chloe's "Easy Beauty" Memoir  00:58:04 Dilemmas: Sharing a Car with an Ex & G-Suite Infidelity  01:08:55 Teaching Writing at Columbia and the Reality of AI  01:18:19 Final Predictions: Politics, Handwriting, and Florida  FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/  ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot  FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/  ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell  ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down Trump’s mysterious $2 billion “slush fund,” why no trustworthy operation has ever used the phrase “slush fund,” and the growing trend of college graduates booing AI commencement speeches delivered by men who look like they own underground bunkers in New Zealand. Then he sits down with filmmaker Celine Song to talk about modern masculinity, internet identity, vulnerability in art, adapting The Seagull in The Sims 4 on Twitch, and their shared addiction to Fortnite and other deeply time-consuming video games. Topics covered:  Personality tests, identity, and labels Social skills and meaningful connections “Past Lives” misinterpretations  Heroic masculinity and men behaving well  Challenging the trope of male characters as lazy or villainous  Consent culture vs. rape culture  The pandemic and creative transitions  The haenyeo, elderly Korean free-divers Addictive personalities and gaming culture  Writing, directing, and acting  Chapters:  00:00:00 Critiquing AI obsession and modern tech culture 00:02:53 Celine Song on astrology and Virgo personality traits 00:05:48 The importance of reading the room and social skills 00:09:10 Vulnerability and open-hearted communication 00:14:00 Why "Past Lives" is not a love triangle movie 00:15:47 The problem with internet film discourse and movie reviews 00:17:35 Depicting heroic masculinity and men behaving well in cinema 00:22:57 Historical context of consent culture and generational decency 00:30:00 The impact of the 2020 pandemic on theater and playwriting 00:37:00 Directing Chekhov’s "The Seagull" inside The Sims 4 00:43:20 Hardcore gaming: Fortnite, Elden Ring, and addictive creativity 00:54:40 Movie franchise predictions and voice acting careers FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down the New York Knicks making the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, the terrifying possibility of a Manhattan championship riot, and the upcoming UFC fight on the White House lawn featuring a lineup that feels suspiciously close to a county fair sponsored by Monster Energy. Then he sits down with comedian and writer Alexandria Love to talk about surviving late night TV, sharing a tiny office at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, New York slowly turning you into a louder person, comedy partnerships, sports betting apps, Taylor Swift discourse, and trying to build a creative career while the entertainment industry melts in real time. Topics Covered:  Working for the Tonight Show and being in writer’s room Moving from Oakland to LA and surviving the industry How professional friction builds career skills. Why late-night TV feels like the Titanic. Revisiting the bits that didn’t make the air. Predictions for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Deleting dating apps and modern dating. The rise of AI therapists and digital habits. Oscars: Michael B. Jordan vs. Timothée Chalamet Chapters: 00:00:00 NYC culture and meeting Alexandria Love 00:05:00 Writing for the Tonight Show and After Midnight 00:10:27 Career advice: how professional friction builds skills 00:16:14 The future of the late night TV industry 00:21:00 Stand-up comedy vs. digital content production 00:27:16 Taylor Swift’s new album and pop culture review 00:32:42 Career transitions: from law school to comedy 00:38:53 The reality of living in New York vs. Los Angeles 00:44:17 Behind the scenes: the Tonight Show writer’s room 00:51:50 2026 predictions: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 00:57:27 Dating app trends and deleting the Feeld app 01:02:07 Oscar predictions: Michael B. Jordan vs. Timothée Chalamet #AlexandriaLove #ProfessionalFriction #ComedyWriter #TaylorSwiftHotTakes #ModernDating #JordanVsChalamet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down why tiny indie films with names that sound like shuttered strip clubs are suddenly beating massive studio franchises at the box office, and why audiences seem increasingly desperate for something that doesn't feel focus-grouped to death.  Then he sits down with Kareem Rahma to talk about building Subway Takes into an internet institution, the weird economics of making things online, arguing with commenters, country-house dad life, late night TV's future, and the challenge of making meaningful art while still paying the bills. They also get into New York, burnout, family, and Kareem's political philosophy: if you want to be rich, be rich — we'll take care of the rest. TOPICS COVERED: Keep the Meter Running with Kareem Rahma Shooting on NYC trains Why creators need security From digital creator to producer Viral burnout and fame Future of late night on YouTube Will digital creators win Emmys A one billion dollar wealth cap CHAPTERS: 00:00 Kareem Rahma on shooting Subway Takes 04:40 Filming with security and getting recognized 09:20 Building the New Hollywood in New York 14:00 Why the digital creator label is frustrating 18:40 Fame and the dream of being a one hit wonder 23:20 Comparing traditional late night to YouTube 28:00 Why digital shows need brand deals and ads 32:40 Dealing with viral comments and internet culture 37:20 Personal life and providing for family 42:00 The Socialist Capitalism political party idea 46:40 Running for mayor and 2028 election predictions 51:20 The future of awards and driverless cars in NYC FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social #KeepTheMeterRunning #SubwayTakes #NewHollywood #SmallTownMayor #LateNightFuture #WriterVsCreator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele celebrates the New York Knicks' historic Finals comeback, the return of civic pride to New York City, and why a basketball team might be doing a better job bringing Americans together than just about anything else right now. Then he sits down with comedian Fumi Abe to talk about growing up in Ohio after immigrating from Japan, the strange economics of stand-up comedy, touring with TikTok stars, marching band humiliation, cross-country crushes, and what happens when a comedy writer suddenly starts making enough money to ignore parking tickets. They also get into late night TV, social media fame, upstate New York, and why the true sign of success might just be buying the expensive rice. Topics: Life as a touring stand-up comedian Writing for James Corden in Los Angeles Performing on Fallon and Colbert Internet viral culture changing comedy  Secrets of late night TV writing Creating comedy inspired by everyday life Hot takes with Fumi Abe Making it big on the internet Chapters: 00:00:00 Fumi Abe’s viral podcast clip story 00:05:45 Touring revenue and quitting writing jobs 00:11:30 Performance of wealth in LA and Upstate New York 00:17:15 Making internet jokes work on a comedy stage 00:23:00 Growing up in Ohio and high school sports 00:28:45 Being an organic folk drummer in Brother Goose 00:34:30 Leaving music business for the comedy grind 00:40:15 Navigating social media and getting older fans 00:46:00 Experience writing for James Corden in LA 00:51:45 Stand-up sets on Fallon and Colbert 00:57:30 Comedy writing process and the urologist bit 01:03:15 Predictions for self-driving cars and airplanes FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down the World Cup coming to America, the shared confusion of getting to MetLife Stadium, and why international visitors keep looking at American food like it's a science experiment. He also takes on primary election season, campaign spam, and the annual transformation of abandoned storefronts into political headquarters nobody asked for. Then he sits down with writer, actor, and internet icon Brenda Cullerton for a conversation about New York in the 1970s, accidentally building a creative life by following curiosity instead of a plan, and why making things with people you like is still one of life's greatest pleasures. Along the way, they get into writing copy for Star Wars toys, tarot cards, stand-up comedy, social media brain rot, the surprising upside of living rich and dying poor, and whether America is actually getting dumber or if we're just filming it more. Topics : Writing star wars copy in the seventies Being the secret voice of darth vader Living in a ninety-five dollar studio Why remote work is a virtual prison The value of peaking late in a career Navigating nyc fashion and elitism Handling creative rejection and hubris The terror of bad tarot card readings  Chapters: 00:00:00 Brenda Cullerton paid $95 a month for a studio in Gramercy Park 00:03:48 Writing for Darth Vader and Office Habits 00:10:03 Politics and Common Sense 00:15:12 The Approachable Coastal Elite 00:20:49 Handling Creative Criticism 00:25:46 Rejection and Artistic Failure 00:30:31 Birthday Drama and Boundaries 00:35:24 Tarot Readings and Curses 00:40:30 NYC Mayor and Local Politics 00:43:45 The Strait of Vermouth and Geography 00:48:54 Modern Education and 80K Tuition 00:55:17 Summer Predictions and Closing FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/  ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell  ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Buechele breaks down Washington's mysterious reflecting pool saga, why America suddenly can't stop talking about the color of swamp water, and the surprising symbolism of a government struggling to fix a reflecting pool. He also reports back from Los Angeles, where self-driving cars, delivery robots, and eerily empty sidewalks make New York feel almost normal. Then he sits down with creator and Brooklyn Coffee Shop star Pooja Tripathi to talk about leaving a career in fashion, discovering comedy later in life, weird temp jobs, improv classes, internet fame, and building one of the internet's most beloved comedy series from a tiny Brooklyn coffee shop. They also get into Japan, social media brain rot, comment-section warfare, and why embarrassment is usually a sign you're headed in the right direction. Chapters: 00:00:00 Why creator Pooja Tripathi quit her dream job 00:06:22 When the self-serious fashion world got old  00:18:40 Turning a green screen sketch into a viral hit series 00:24:42 Why being embarrassing is a creative superpower 00:30:56 The extreme rise of male beauty standards 00:36:12 Industry gatekeepers and the "Too niche" Myth 00:42:10 My chill boss was working two secret jobs 00:49:10 Why the world of improv comedy is so nerdy 00:55:13 International vs global production costs 01:01:21 Comparing the noise of New York City to Japan cities 01:07:41 Predicting the first influencer brand trip to space Topics:  Quitting a corporate fashion career at Bloomingdale's  The logistical absurdity of filming in Tokyo vs Kansas City  Why improv feels like a trap  Dealing with modern social media comments  The rise of leg lengthening surgery for men  Japan’s cleanliness and quiet vs NYC  Treating TikTok like high-end HBO productions  Predicting the first influencer brand trips to outer space  Being an only child prepares you for comedy FOLLOW THE SHOW  ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices