Thirsty Topics podcast
Thirsty Topics is where unfiltered conversation meets culture, entertainment, and everyday life. Hosted by Lawrence Elrod and co-hosted by Meryl Klemow, the podcast dives into the latest headlines, social media buzz, and trending stories—always with humor, honesty, and fresh perspectives.
From pop culture and viral moments to real conversations about society, relationships, and lifestyle, Thirsty Topics is designed to spark dialogue and keep listeners engaged. No scripts, no filters—just real talk that’s as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.
What listeners can expect:
- Engaging weekly episodes featuring the latest cultural trends and stories
- Thoughtful and funny takes on social media, entertainment, and everyday issues
- Multi-perspective conversations that feel like sitting down with friends who aren’t afraid to “go there”
Available on all major podcast platforms, Thirsty Topics is part of the Elrod TV Network, expanding the brand’s mission to deliver bold, original, and diverse media.
Join the conversation, stay entertained, and never miss what everyone’s talking about.
Episodes
75 episodes
Super Bowl Ads, Hype, And Reality for 2/5/26
Super Bowl ads cost more than ever, yet the creative often underdelivers, while a celebrity lingerie launch, an IVF mix-up, a viral BBQ scandal, and a mid-fight toupee slip test how we judge truth, taste, and trust. We question hype, honor huma...
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30:20
Grief, Grammys, And Growing Up; for 2/4/26
We honor Catherine O’Hara’s legacy, reckon with an ICE shooting and accountability, sift through Grammys highs and lows, compare Michelle and Melania documentaries, and debate whether a 17-year-old should pay $500 rent. Joy, grief, and responsi...
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40:55
Mile-High Vows And Viral Risks for 1/30/26
We trade a mile-high wedding story for a sober look at a deadly viral stunt, get honest about halftime politics and representation, celebrate a citywide free-college surprise, and confront violence and leak culture in entertainment. Joy, risk, ...
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35:27
From ICE Shooting Outrage To Netflix’s Big Bet And A Family Feud for 1/29/26
We trace a week where a fatal ICE shooting meets the camera’s truth, then pivot to streaming’s reach, a live skyscraper climb, a family rift under a spotlight, and a film breaking Oscar records. We close with boundaries around surrogacy and a c...
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49:05
When Youth Sports Cross The Line: A Viral Hockey Brawl, A Firing On Christmas, And Why 2016 Still Haunts Us for 1/22/26
A pee-wee hockey “brawl” that looks suspiciously choreographed. A loyal restaurant worker fired right after a Christmas shift. A wave of 2016 nostalgia that won’t let go. We connect the dots between viral outrage, workplace dignity, and the qui...
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41:30
From Red Carpet Etiquette To Retail Shakeups, the Bears & A$30M TV Mansion for 1/21/26
A 15-second red carpet clip shouldn’t carry this much weight, and yet here we are. We dive into the viral Glam Bot moment with Jennifer Lopez and ask what audiences really expect from celebrities: composure, kindness, or both. It’s less about o...
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42:14
McRib, Bears, Dating, And Beyond for 1/15/26
A fast-food legend, a very real bear, and the strange state of modern courtship walk into a podcast. We kick off with the McRib lawsuit and what “rib” really signals to consumers, then push past the memes to the real stakes: honest labels, alle...
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46:42
From Shelter Escapes To Skies Too Tight: Compassion, Controversy, And Comedy for 1/14/26
Two hosts thread a lively set of stories through one question: are we judging or understanding. From a lock-picking shelter dog to a viral pastor’s wife dress, we push past the headlines and ask what fairness, agency, and compassion look like i...
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36:49
Books, Bias, Bears, and Cake Chaos for 1/8/26
We push back on reading snobbery, unpack why Sprinkles shuttered, weigh the ethics of LinkedIn gender “hacks,” celebrate cake-flip chaos, laugh at bear-fight bravado, and break down the promise and limits of new Wegovy pills. Heart, humor, and ...
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33:11
Live TV Surprises, Baby Name Trends, And A $600 Tip for 1/7/26
We trade New Year comfort food and rituals for live TV’s best moments, then move through a tragic club fire, a high-profile NFL allegation, trending baby names, Taylor Swift’s surprise tip, and the fading glow of 24/7 MTV music channels. Joy, s...
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31:35
Politics, Pop Stars, And Public Backlash for 12/31/25
What happens when private choices meet public judgment? We dive straight into the week’s hottest flashpoints, starting with Nicki Minaj praising Donald Trump at a conservative event and the cascading backlash that followed. We talk honestly abo...
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30:29
When Fan Behavior Crosses The Line And What It Costs for 12/30/25
A quiet holiday catch-up takes a sharp turn into the chaos reshaping pop culture, money, and safety. We start with the viral moment that yanked Billie Eilish toward a crowd and ask what it means for live music: tighter security, fewer intimate ...
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35:16
Snoopy Sold, Cruises Questioned, Pajamas Fly for 12/25/25
Snoopy has a new corporate home, a cruise tragedy raises hard questions, and travelers are turning pajamas into a protest. We dive into the culture shifts shaping daily life and the quiet choices that reveal who we are as consumers, companies, ...
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51:10
From NFL Sidelines To Viral Kiss Cam Fallout And Why Timing Matters for 12/23/25
A playoff push, a sideline punch, a farewell that ends in a tap out, and a Kiss Cam that cost two careers—this one moves fast and asks better questions about judgment, restraint, and respect. We open with the Bears’ surge and how one Steelers r...
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45:46
Swift Bonuses, Drone Drops, Early Dinners, And Waymo Woes for 12/18/25
We move from Taylor Swift’s record-setting crew bonuses and the ethics of public generosity to the rise of drone contraband in prisons, early-bird dining trends, rising return fees, a chilling Hollywood tragedy, and a Waymo stowaway that spotli...
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38:56
Bonus episode of Thirsty Conversations: An Indie Filmmaker’s Global Playbook: Comedy, Grit, And Vision Beyond Borders
What does it take to build a global filmmaking career without waiting for permission? We sit down with New Zealand–born director Samuel Franklin, whose debut feature movie Tropical Snow blends dark comedy, handheld immediacy, and a quietly univ...
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57:22
Bears, Bans, And Butter Knives for 12/17/25
We move from Bears rivalry banter to a serious look at Australia’s under‑16 social media ban, a farewell to Tokyo’s panda twins, a Florida plane landing on a highway car, a tragic Brown University shooting, a Michigan coaching scandal, and a vi...
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42:38
Pantone’s “Cloud Dancer,” Melissa McCarthy’s Transformation, A Taylor Swift Wedding Plot, Family Priorities, And The Pizza Economy for 12/11/25
We challenge a near-white “color of the year,” weigh the reaction to Melissa McCarthy’s transformation, and unpack a rumored Taylor Swift wedding date buyout. Then we wrestle with partner vs parents priorities, decode pizza as a recession signa...
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41:57
Likes, Laws, And Holiday Trees for 12/10/25
A snowy reset, a comedy high, and a fast tour through modern boundaries: when likes become signals, why nursing deserves full professional status, how dystopian art muddies the message, and where pet health and holiday habits meet common sense....
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41:07
Driverless Taxi Meets Police Standoff for 12/6/25
We move from a driverless taxi rolling into a police standoff to the future of drones overhead, a five-era brain map, the grind behind hand modeling, SNAP funds at risk, and the strange freedom of a 2,000-person nude cruise. Safety, control, an...
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35:43
Thanksgiving, Drama, And A Drunk Raccoon for 12/5/25
We trade cozy holiday vibes for real talk on safety, boundaries, and respect as viral pranks, celebrity drama, and corporate candor collide. From a livestreamed arrest to a drunk raccoon, we trace how attention warps judgment and why consent, d...
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38:37
From Ralph Lauren Holidays To Penny Farewells And Retail Smiles for 11/20/25
We trade the beige Christmas for rich color and nostalgia, then challenge the quiet creep of rounding as the penny exits. From Target’s 10-4 smiles to a shaky red carpet security moment, viral resumes, robot pratfalls, and an MLB betting scanda...
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36:13
Second Chances And The Weight Of Accountability for 11/19/25
What happens when a former TV star apologizes for real harm, an AI “artist” tops a Billboard chart, and your phone quietly admits you’re glued to it for 21 hours a day? We pull these threads together to ask a bigger question: how do we protect ...
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35:08
Pageant Walkout, Public Apology, Private Power for 11/13/25
A pageant director’s demeaning remarks trigger a contestant walkout and a broader talk on power, accountability, and the strength of public proof. We move from a fatal cargo crash and AI in cars to a “phantom” NFL marriage rumor and practical s...
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33:49
Behind The Smile: Mental Health, Money, And Modern Life for 11-11-25
We open with a hard truth about hidden pain as a young NFL player dies by suicide, then move through money ethics, public safety, and the limits of technology with empathy and clear eyes. Along the way we share resources, challenge easy answers...
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41:07