The Default Setting

We get physical this week with Gift Processor and athletic trainer Jess Ford and her default setting: Texas Pride. Born and raised in Houston, Jess dispels some of the cliches and misinformation about what it's like to be a Texan. We dive into our controversial pool of gray discussing what it's like to both love and hate where you grew up. We also learn about cancel culture, Juneteenth and what not to do in Mexico. We also collectively agree Oklahoma sucks. Don't worry the Audioboom metric shows we don't have listeners from Oklahoma. Or...most places. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Oh man. We've been doing this show for so long and with so many people that I forgot we already did 'Tentative' as someone's Default Setting (see: a very fun episode with Jim Lalka). But we're very sure about this week's guest James Catullo(@dodge_intrepid), who originally wanted his topic to be 'Indecisive' (see: a very fun episode with Stephanie Sherman). AAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNYWAY, we have a great time talking about how others get stuck making our decisions for us, being one of many kids, doing various forms of comedy and reminiscing about the great Cavs Championship night of 2016. Plus: special bonus content for dedicated listeners. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Comedic CLE (@comediccle) co-founder and producer Brent Gambrel is far too engaging this week for his default setting: disengaged. We dive into Brent's past with trauma, promotion and the IRS and discuss how you actively engaged you can be with being disengaged. Also: we have a singalong, we dish on who's who and what's what in Cleveland comedy and we laugh so hard while getting so very dark. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Improv artiste and founder of Scienceology (@scienceology on YouTube) Wells Hillblom can do what he wants, including invent a new word for his default setting: Un-Inert. Throughout his life, Wells has found he's unable to stay too long in one place, whether it's literally or metaphorically. We dig into the origins of his instinct to migrate and go even further into the human nature of being on the move. Also: GG serves and protects, Smithers polices our grammar and Jess just gets progressively more drunk. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Our beloved Gigi (@g.g.chick) is back again this week as co-host while we have a relaxing dish with one of our favorite Sad Boys, Nick Yurick (http://sadboyssocialclub.com/), discussing his default: Hoarder. Nick's not just a hoarder in the traditional sense (though stay tf out of his closets and basement), he also hoards his feelings, thoughts, ideas and loved ones sometimes. On an unrelated note, every time I type the word 'Hoarder' I keep typing the word 'Howard'. Is this a stroke Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

The bad news: Jess fucked up again. The good news: we got a killer double episode! We kick it off with comedian & writer Joe Briggs (@joeisalsohere) discussing his default: Awkward. We chat about both being on the giving and receiving end of awkwardness, especially when you're a performer. We then make a hard left into our next episode with cinephile and nerd bar proprietress Harmony Moon (@veloci_trap_tor) discussing her default: Trans Bullshit. We learn. SO. MUCH. Not just about her experiences with the trans community but also her vast knowledge of trans and queer representation in film. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

This week we celebrate the moments of our lives with comedian TM Francis and his default setting: Humor Deflection. We reflect on all of our outlandish behavior at funerals and in buffet lines and how we use humor to kill the awkwardness in our heads. Also up for discussion: nudists, archnemeses and red states vs. blue states. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Fellow Cleveland to LA transplant Vishnu Akella (@VishnuAkella) joins the gals this week to ruminate on his default setting: being in the discomfort zone. Vishnu thrives on escaping inertia and gravitates toward challenges which not coincidentally is how he manages to kill it in the comedy scene. Also on deck: Jess is old, Vishnu is young and Elizabeth has a promising future as a social media star and coffee table book author. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

AND WE'RE BACK. This week: comedian, former Angeleno and mama Kelly Thewlis chats with us about her default: being a cinephile. On deck for discussion: comedies, tragedies, classics, behind the scenes, male fragility and how Steve Buscemi can GET IT. We also learn about the effectiveness of IUD's, surprising Oscar nominees and oh my god we're starting to sound like one of those Entertainment Tonight type shows. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

The truth is out there. And it wants chicken. Kelly Moore wants us to believe this week that her default setting is Dana Scully. What is it about this revolutionary television character that appeals to her and to us all? We also chat cats, commercials and becoming an elderly. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Are you experiencing de ja vu right now? Are you confused as to why Gigi is back on the show? Are you wondering how we got comedian John Armstrong all the way out to Los Angeles to record an episode of the podcast? Don't wonder those things. I screwed up and lost 2 of our episodes and now I have to air a rerun. Also John's a super sweet, funny, supportive guy and just generally a good dude so we felt his episode was worthy of our first rerun ever. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

Tania (Ta-nay-ah) Timmons is many things: We talk about all these things, but especially the last one this week. Also Liz does her best impression of Charlie Brown's teacher because something was wrong with her microphone. Apologies for the muffled audio. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

This week's episode is shitty and what's the point of listening when everything is crap. JK! OH MAN WE GOT YOU GUYS GOOD YOU SHOULDA SEEN YOUR FACES. Aaaanyway, we have on funny man Adam Janovyak this week talking his default: pessimist. Adam's probably the most fun, interesting downer we've ever met. Can you paradoxically be upbeat when you expect everything to turn to shit? Also on deck: Liz recovers from colds and injuries and we solve the mystery of who kidnapped the Lindbergh baby. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

It's our first ever guests as a couple when Jess's brother and his girlfriend (also Jess's friend) Joey Ocheltree (ocheltree.9@osu.edu) and Linda Penrose stop by to discuss their default settings! Joey talks about how fluctuation is his default setting; his ability to always roll and change with the punches as life hands them over. Linda shares her experiences with combating social awkwardness by dragging herself and making inappropriate jokes. Needless to say was right at home with Jess and Liz. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

We feel compelled to tell you this episode is super fun when comedian Phil Eckenrode joins us to talk about his default setting: compulsive. We all feel the need to double check things on occasion, but what happens when you feel the need to quintuple check things? Can it actually be a good thing? Also up for discussion: going back to jail, hecklers and THEEEE most adorable marriage proposal you've ever heard about. Also also, we lose Elizabeth halfway through the episode, because rural Ohio has shitty LTE coverage. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

We got tired of interviewing our comedy dads so we decided to talk to Jess's actual dad, Bill Ocheltree. He regales us with his tales of wild America when we discuss his default setting: Nature Lover. Bill talks about his experiences growing up in the country, exploring the western wilderness and dives into the antics of being forced into the Air Force. It feels really weird to call my dad 'Bill'. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

It's season FOUR ya futons! Our premiere brings us one of our comedy dads Keith Bergman (@keithbbergman). Keith talks about the importance of 'growing up, not growing OUT'. Which is to say, it's lame to be 'too cool'. We discuss the importance of doing what you love, paying the bills, and why the 2 don't have to be mutually exclusive. Groups we rag on in this episode: Check out Keith's '100 Words' project at www.keithbergman.com; it's definitely worth the read. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

WE DID IT. This episode was cursed and much adversity was overcome but we did it. The season 3 finale is here with our very special guest, host Jess Faulstich discussing her default setting: LOUD. This really doesn't need further explanation to anyone who has met Jess, listened to this podcast or lives within a 10 mile radius of her. She lives near LAX and they've called her apartment complex to complain about the noise. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)

As promised, we've returned with another TOO HOT FOR iTUNES* episode of The Default Setting! Now with 50% more clip show action! We listen to more never before heard clips from the likes of Brian Avery, Katy Moynihan, James Earl Brassfield AND ADDITIONALS. This is also our least edited episode because Jess got really busy this week and would rather put out something half-assed than nothing at all. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent) *iTunes didn't care, this is just another episode please listen we need this

We didn't dwell too long when deciding on a guest for this week: improv newbie and librarian lady Camilla Grigsby (@onhorizons). Camilla discusses her default: overthinking, and ironically none of us spend much time in this episode doing that. Instead, we talk about the things we know: being smug, loving cats, avoiding social media drama and the truth about legal secretaries. Shoutouts: -OKPants (@okpants) -Above Below Entertainment (@abovebelowent)