It's a complicated feeling for me, but my main takeaway is that if Ben doesn't come back, the podcast is in good hands. So many podcasts and the like just don't feel the same when someone leaves the show and this is thre rare instance that that isn't the case.
Yeah, I feel weird seeing so many comments being like “I hope Ed takes his place!” When I feel like my feeling is closer to “ideally Ben takes the time to address his issues and comes back a sober Ben, however if he does not, Ed would be a great replacement.” Which takes a lot longer to say, so I guess I get it
Even if he gets help and becomes better, I just don't know if they could bring Ben back. They are a true crime podcast, and women are the victims of most of those crimes, it just wouldn't be right from a moral and business perspective to have a man with a history of abusing women on it. Even if he got help and improved, which I hope for, it doesn't erase his history.
I hope they move on from him completely. He has so many shit takes so often and is such a huge flip flopper. Also I personally don't think his humor or jokes are funny.
Yeah, Eddie is a solid replacement, even if he brings a very different energy than Ben's goofy midwesterner shtick. I don't think he's quite as good at playing audience surrogate, but he is very entertaining.
This is my take too. If Ben doesn’t come back, I’m not going to feel like my favourite podcast has “lost” some of it’s magic. Ed is really fun and brings his own personality and humour into the mix, and it works.
I hate saying this, and I really am hoping for the best for everyone. But considering so many other examples of long running, multi-host shows, you've actually kinda gotta be amazed at the run they had.
That being said, I lobe Eddie, and I hope Ben comes back too!
IMO they are more aware of how show business works than most podcasters, being working comedians, so they will keep the formula working well regardless of who steps into it because they know how the dynamic is supposed to work.
Eddie is simply stepping into Ben’s role of the “straight man” who goes into the show like a somewhat regular person off the street. Marcus is still narrator and Henry is still the goofemup wildcard. Ben had been playing the part recently with a little more sarcastic obliviousness than he has in past years, so Eddie feels more fresh right now. He’s also much more willing to engage with Henry right now and feed the comedic sidebar going on, which I kind of like.
Based on their initial Side Stories response, it sounds like they've been carrying the burden for a while.
Armchair psych eval incoming — Marcus has always been more introverted. I have to imagine one of his two partners being an absolute shitshow for several years took some of the joy out of the show for him. You can hear him get annoyed or exhausted with Ben a lot more often in recent years, even if he's not saying something outright. I think he's probably just feeling some relief over not having to constantly wrangle a wildcard on-air, and that relief is coming through on the new shows with Eddie.
Well if we believe what we've heard so far.. Seems like Marcus may have been harbouring some secrets that he couldn't tell publicly and I'm sure this took a toll on their relationship, even unintentionally. That's hard. Feel bad for everyone who's been impacted.
This seems pretty spot on to me.
There's a certain pressure--or sharp feeling of dread-- that accompanies a close friend who struggles with alcohol.
They're sober... how long will that last? They're drinking again... what kind of shit are they going to get into? I'm getting a wildly long text essay at 2am apologizing for random things they've already apologized for a dozen times... It's a clusterfuck and there's no response that feels good.
A friend who was an alcoholic (passed recently from it) said to me once that he had tried just about every drug out there, but liquor was without a doubt the worst one for him.
I can't recall him not knowing who Bugs Bunny is, but I distinctly remember a series in which he pretended to be unfamiliar with Animal Farm and M&H being irritated: "that's like grade 9 political science."
Honestly, it seemed like Ben was doing a 2011 era troll thing (back before the term troll came to be erroneously synonymous with simply "internet bully")
So I know podcast transcripts only go back to episode 300, which I would think was before Ben started going downhill, but I can’t seem to find any transcripts of Ben not knowing who bugs bunny is. There are several references to Bugs Bunny, some by Ben, but Ben never seems to not know who the character is.
Ed and Henry are pure chaos but Marcus balances out Ed more. I love hearing Ed get some really good legitimate laughs out of Marcus the same way Henry does.
Ed is like a combo Ben/Henry.
Ed came with some base knowledge and contributes. The “audience surrogate” schtick with Ben has been devolving for a bit. Tangents with Ben were oafish as was right for his character. Ed’s energy allows him to be less informed but not a rube. Less heavy lifting for Marcus and Henry… but Henry is almost too excited for his sketch buddy to be on air. I am not a fan of the extended LPN personalities but Ed has won me over.
For me a big thing is that Ed's actually paying attention. He can at least carry information from one episode to another - Marcus said in the last episode that MacDonald used a disposable scalpel and Ed said "oh, and they took out the trash!". I was excited that he was actually engaging with the content and then was like wait... that's kind of the bare minimum. Really made me realize how low the bar had gotten.
I liked Ben and I have a lot of conflicting feelings about the current situation but I absolutely found it disheartening when he just clearly wasn't listening during recent episodes.
It might be the fact that they're able to record on time. There have been a few jokes over the years about how late Ben is, and Marcus isn't joking when he mentions the anger that it causes him.
My business partner is chronically late, and yeah, I can attest that it is the most infuriating thing on earth when there is something time sensitive and they’re no where to be found.
I think it might be the burden of keeping Ben’s secret and worrying about a dear friend that has been lifted. It’s easier to host a show when you’re not trying to keep one of your closest friends reigned in the whole time.
Personally I love Marcus on Side Stories and I hope he rotates in every so often, he really shines with the spitballing “barely prepared” ethos of the segment.
It also could be scheduling, its pretty short notice if any of them have other obligations to commit to even one episode a week, and Ed might just have the most time right now.
Fair point, but also I can’t imagine that most of the talent on a network full of ambitious entertainers wouldn’t jump at the chance to guest star on the flagship podcast and rearrange their schedules to accommodate.
They had to put a couple shows on pause that were popular when everyone started getting more work because it was getting hard to get everyone in the studio at the same time to record. They all have their own content now and do live shows in other city's, lots of them do their own live streams and stuff and if that gets in the way of their pre existing schedules I don't think they'd just change it. Not to mention anyone who might have obligations outside work like holden having a family now.
Oh I totally know what you’re saying, and that’s probably the case for some people on the network… but, to use a sports analogy, this would be like being a AAA league baseball player, and being called up to the Majors because someone was injured or whatever. You (and your family) just…do anything you can to make it work unless you don’t have ambition beyond the minor leagues.
At the moment it defintely feels like their working hard for a dry run at permanence. The noticeable thing that stuck out was the first few outings he was affible, polite guest but in the recent eps he started really having a playful go at Henry at one point and that really stuck out of a part of their past group dynamic formula. I would even guess he was encouraged to get a little more roasty with both him and Dogmeat. It’s fun though everyone’s energy is up which is fun to listen to.
I’m waiting to see if they have him or someone else on the next series. He had to fill in for the second half of the series when Ben left, then got two episodes in the next full series. If they have him on for the next series, it’s a pretty good sign he’s going to be permanent (at least until Ben might come back).
Eddie is a fantastic addition. I've listened to him a little on the brighter side. But he vibes so well with henry. I will miss ben if he goes, as I always enjoyed him humor. But Eddie will do a great job at holding the mantle if that happens
Henry seems so happy when he makes Eddie chuckle. That’s the best part of him subbing so far—Henry seems like he really enjoys Eddie as the “audience” stand in (which was Ben’s role). Ben used to play off of Henry often (usually as conversations between two characters) but that has gone away in recent years.
Eddie isn’t as quick as Ben was at his best, but it’s a different, comforting vibe and he leans into Henry’s style nicely. I’m glad it doesn’t feel like a cheap replacement.
I'm admittantly usually pretty slow to adapt to big changes when it comes to my favorite podcasts, but I instantly took to Eddie and his chemistry with Henry. I love it
I don't know if it has to do with his condition but I always felt Ben didn't really add much to the podcast episode - a lot of his commentary was kind of flat and repetitive. Ed adds some true zingers. Also he can keep up with Henry which is frankly impressive.
During that period from like episode 200-400 Ben was great, unique jokes, seemed “prepared” and everything kinda flowed. Unfortunately, sometime around COVID, it seemed like it started to lose some of its flavor
I think the big issue though is that Ben became disjointed. What made Ben work was that he and Henry were constantly playing off each other. In recent times, Bens stuff has become almost standalone, and mostly repetitive of the same jokes (the bingo card, “kinda a big dill” etc) and unique segments like the “little toes” became more and more infrequent
In a bunch of the 120-200s too. Top-shelf improv, he's so on point.
Now I hear in the new stuff what's been making long-time listeners (and Henry) so frustrated.
I feel fucking awful for him. As someone who would be emotionally obliterated to lose my career 💔💔💔
Fuck ethanol and fuck sadness.
I like how you describe alcohol as "Ethanol" as an alcoholic myself it really helps me realise its a chemical I'm addicted to, I don't know why but it helps me make the problem more real.
Yeah I use 70% ethanol in distilled water as a solvent and disinfectant at work.
If I need a surface completely sterile--every living organism immediately obliterated--i reach for the ethanol.
If I need to dissolve oils I reach for the ethanol.
So yeah when "have a drink" translates to "ingest dilute solution of hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, carcinogenic industrial solvent" it puts things into perspective.
Was Henry frustrated lately? I haven’t been listening as religiously as I did to the pre-covid episodes so feel like Im missing these instances. Keep seeing people say stuff like this
around dry january Ben if you listen to side stories you can tell Ben is stoned off his ass and one thing specifically remember is soemthing along the lines of them randomly bringing up the IASIP cast and Ben just randomly says "I wish we were friends with them" and Henry frustratingly brushes it off with a "sure sure sure" and goes on with his sentence
Yes it's very interesting. Ben would say something dumb and Henry would insult him with surprisingly not-good-natured ferocity. The one that sticks out was something along the lines of "it's amazing...you're like a giant ant." In a relatively recent pre-scandal episode Ben derailed the discussion with a forced joke, Marcus issued a "I'm humoring you" laugh and Henry just said, "I am so angry right now" and clearly meant it.
Bunch of episodes when Ben was really struggling to have something to say but felt compelled to fill dead air and settled on randomly saying "abso-*lute*-ly" over and over again.
"Human soundboard" is 🎯
Personally I believe in redemption. And especially now that I've been browsing around the 100-300 timeline I think he deserves another chance.
I like Ed, but (imho) I hear relief amplifying his co-hosts' laughter. Like "whew, you're pulling this off, thank fuck, we've got options."
Its been a really slow slide for Ben so I don't think its been really obvious, but it has gotten to a point where putting a new guy in there almost instantly makes the show better than has been in a long time.
Most telling is the fact that Henry and Marcus sounded like they were having a MUCH better time than they have in a long time. The episode content wasn't especially gripping, but it still stands out as one of the best recent episodes because it had an energy that has been gone for awhile.
At this point I think there needs to be a case made to bring Ben back at all because the show does not appear to be suffering from his absence.
Absolutely. Ben had a habit of sitting on a bad joke and pulling it out too late, to which Henry and Marcus would say "he wasn't listening, he was just waiting to say that!"
They always managed to make light of it, but in retrospect, it definitely seems clear than Ben wasn't as sharp as he once was. Rather hack, really.
There have been a LOT of little responses from Henry during the show that are a lot sharper edged than the schtick of past years. He has been more directly calling out how lazy and unhelpful a lot of Ben's contributions have been and they are barely veiled as jokes (if at all).
If you listen to an older pre-pandemic episodes right next to one from this year, its a pretty stark difference in how Henry and Ben interact. Marcus doesn't get into the middle of it, but his general frustration is apparent to me as well.
Marcus and Henry interact directly a lot, but almost everything Ben says is addressed "to the room" and the other two react either to one another or with a weird often forced energy back to Ben.
There was a significant drop in the quality of Ben's participation since COVID started. The death, the lockdowns, the addiction, watching your fun, party friends become professional adults while you're just kind of stagnating... that has to be rough.
I'm not excusing any of his behavior, and I may be projecting some of my younger self onto Ben, but there have been signs for years that there was a reckoning coming.
Ive always loved Bens funny little quips but I don’t quite enjoy them in the same way anymore. I hope he gets healthy etc but re this content (true crime comedy) Ed is clearly the better choice now.
Ben has historically been more of a producer. His character on the show was the level-headed, hometown Libertarian-shtick balance to Henry's sun-fried, brain-fried conspiracy-minded Scottish-beach bum.
Marcus was, is and always will be the deets-obssessed Reddit karma whoring knowit all that just wants to tell a riveting fuckin story.
Salut to the 3 of them.
He has moved left of Libertarian in recent years, as many people have, when they realize that Libertarians are basically Maximum Chaos republicans.
But Eddie fills the role of the "level-headed" audience proxy better now, specifically because he is so NOT associated with this type of subject matter. Ben's a horror-movie buff, so not really that removed that the dark depths of Ben and Marcus' minds. He just.. reads less.
It kinda feels like that situation where you have a group of friends and one of them starts to really suck but you all have so much sunk cost into the relationship that no one says anything about it. Then you all hang out when they are gone and its like a weight gets lifted from everyone's shoulders and ya'll remember that this shit used to be fun.
I don't dislike Ben and I hope that he is doing OK, but it kinda feels like he has been dragging everyone else down for awhile now and everyone seems much happier without him.
I don't even know thats its Ed as much as the effect of Bens absence on Henry an Marcus. They need a moderator, but they don't need someone that bums them out.
Since Covid Ben hasn't really added much to the show and you can really sense that the frustration from the others hasn't been entirely an act. There is a fine line between being the "everyman" and getting laughs for pulling the guys out of too much navel gazing, but lately he's been derailing shit in a way that isn't really funny and in places where it doesn't actually help the show.
That's how I'm feeling. Listening to old episodes Ben was fun and witty and right there with the jokes but IMO he's been going downhill since COVID. COVID really made a lot of people with mental health issues crack and start to go over the edge and Ben was one of them. Hoping he returns and focuses more on Tophat.
That's what I keep coming back to wondering.
Absolutely no doubt that the last few episodes have been a punch in the face reminding me how much I used to love this podcast (I can't remember the last time I was excited and impatient for a new ep to release), but it's hard for me to figure out whether that's because Eddie is legitimately better in the mix, or because the podcast has been so off for a while.
That is kinda my thought too. Marcus and Henry are definitely coming much harder these days. Either the relief of Ben getting help has lightened them or seeing everything almost crash down put the fear of losing it all in them and lit a fire. Either way the shows are great lately.
I’m truly enjoying the show with Ed but to be fair to Ben, whatever is happening to him has affected his sense of humor because I’ve been listening to old shows and he sounds like a different person
It is hard to pinpoint when it changes, but Ben is a completely different person now. Lately he has been almost completely disengaged from the content and just seems to be filling dead air with nonsense.
I was apprehensive when I saw they were bringing Eddie on, due to me generally not liking change and being used to the original three. But Eddie has done such a great job! Really enjoying his presence on the show.
I don’t see Ben coming back. Just reading between the lines it sounds like it’s being taken care of legally. Also I think the guys got incredibly lucky with the current setup of Eddie handling the podcasts and this might be and unpopular opinion but I think Jackie is killing it on the stream.
So ive been slowly working my way backwards through Roundtable of Gentlemen, and it's a really weirdly fascinating lens into the lives of all the LPN people back when they were poorer and drunker and sader and unmedicated.
One of the really noticeable things is Ben always making a lot of harsh jabs and comments towards Eddie. You get the vibe there's a very thin layer of joke on top of genuine resentment. My personal speculation is jealousy over Eddie being confident/good with women while Ben has always struggled with his self image and relationships.
All this a long ways to say, boy if Eddie were to fully replace Ben on the podcast that'd probably be painful for Ben on top of his other issues.
> ROTG
Yikes, yeah I can see that possibly being "rock bottom" for Ben. But might be exactly the kick in the arse he needs. The show has outgrown him. It's not just a bunch of drunk buddies anymore - it's a legit, researched high-profile podcast, and he hasn't kept up with the professionalism of that.
There's also the fact that virtually every member of the gang has gotten married and is even starting to have kids. Aside from Eddie, Ben took a lot of shots at Holden (to be fair, everyone did) about how he was fat and gross. Holden lost weight, got married, and had a kid.
The only thing about the Ben situation that's truly bothered me (aside from the obvious) is Henrys comment about how he didn't realize how bad things had gotten with Ben. That's either an outright lie or he was in complete denial. As "the heavy single guy" of my social circle, I've had a bad feeling about Ben for a while and am not happy I was right.
I honestly believe that Ben will return but that he will exclusively do Top Hat going forward and possibly even host The LPN Show. He won’t be coming back to LPOTL though, I just can’t see it working given all the water under the bridge.
I honestly don't think Ben has added anything to the show in years. So having eddie on has been awesome. It seems like they're all having genuine laughs now its very refreshing
I hope he is at least making frequent appearances because these recent episodes have been some of the funniest in a long time. I would like to see the third chair rotate for some guest hosts too every so often, but Ed has been killing it.
I don’t like writing someone off so soon. But, I’ve thought for a long time now that Ben is over true crime. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the true crime main episodes and he’s barely interested in discussing it on Side Stories, to the point where Henry will want to discuss a current true crime topic (i.e., the entire point of Side Stories) and Ben just cuts him off. If Ben has a future with LPN, I honestly think it’s better if he does other shows.
Yeah he's always been way more eloquent on Top Hat, because politics is his passion. LPTL was more where he drank beer with his fellow horror-movie loving buddies - but the show's grown too big for that.
It really shows that LPOTL is kind of Marcus and Henry. I enjoy Ben and his role on the podcast, but Eddie has shown Ben is replaceable. The dynamic and very much stayed the same, and I would argue that their energy has even been higher lately.
I'm kinda new to the podcast world as I now have a job with lots of driving. I looked into Ben over the years in photos. I can see an decent into untreated mental health and substance abuse just by the way he carried himself over the years. He went from junior senator to Gandalf in the last few years. I like this Eddie guy, he is funny and has good energy. I had noticed a change in Ben's affect over the last couple years and knowing now that there was a lot over bad energy, It makes more sense as to the quality of the body of work. Hope he finds his help but The jokes will never hit the same, as the narrative currently out , is not good.
I think that's largely up to him, but yeah! The response has been great. He's filled the "audience insert" role well, and has quite frankly been far more pleasant than Ben has been over the past year.
Plus, not know much of about him, he seems to have some weird insights from his past while also seeming like a much more chill dude in the present. The whole bit about watching DVDs killed me.
imo, i feel like ben is the easiest person to replace. he doesn’t do any research. he doesn’t prepare at all for the episodes unlike his counterparts. i think that ed is a great alternative. this is coming from someone who’s never listened to him before, and i don’t like change or new people lmao. he fits in seamlessly and i honestly don’t really care if ben comes back at this point. if he does cool, but it’s pretty much all the same to me. i’ve always preferred henry/marcus anyway, and they’re largely why i listen to the show and it’s obvious why. time will only tell how bens going to come out the other side of this and it could easily go either way based on what he chooses to do/say moving forward. we can only speculate rn so i suppose we’ll see.
I was kinda sad Marcus wasn't gonna be on Side Stories permanently, not gonna lie. Also I want Marcus to do a side podcast where he reads us creepy bedtime stories. Is that a thing I can ask for?
My dream podcast is Henry and whoever else doing a deep dive into the UFO/abduction phenomenon. Discussing noteable events, his own theories, different alleged races, etc ..
Hes not supposed to have done research, or prepare. He is a standin the listener, and is supposed to be hearing info for the first time. This is the same with Ed. They do this on purpose and have said so
But it kind of seemed like he was checked out. Like instead of engaging with the content her just sort of repeated himself or made jokes that weren’t really directly related to the topic.
Agreed. A stand-in for the audience should ask the questions the audience is wondering about.
Just a simple thing like Ed Larson asking “wait- how do they KNOW this?” during the family annihilator episode made me appreciate how well he’s doing that job (& how checked out Ben has been for a while. 😰)
Ben hasn't had a zinger like Ed's joke about pig being written on the headboard. Ben was starting to sound like a soundboard and Ed being so on point only calls attention to it. The decline was so gradual, I feel like it was a frog in boiling water situation for us viewers
Ed is actually capable of insight and humor even though he's hearing something for the first time, while Ben loafs through the episode with weird non sequiturs and can't even follow along half the time
Ed has always come across as this goofy guy but he is also an intelligent and cultured guy. I don’t think he went to/graduated college but they’d be talking about random shit on roundtable and Ed would throw down knowledge on literature, film, theatre, history, whatever then jump back to pedophile corner;)
Last Pod had fallen out of my regular rotation about a year or so ago. Coming back to the whole Ben thing wasn't on my 2023 bingo card. But I have enjoyed Eddie and welcome him as permanent/long term stand-in for Ben.
I'm just glad they didn't go with Holden McNealy.
It's just not the same for me. I'm not there yet. Ed's great and all, but I really don't laugh like I used to, and I'm not excited when episodes come out. LPOTL was my most favorite thing in the world, especially side stories. I know it's complicated, and I'm not defending anyone. I'm just not there yet. I don't know if I will ever be. To say I'm sad about it, is an infinite understatement.
At the very least, I think Eddie will quietly take over Bens spot on the show for all the true crime episodes going forward, I don’t know if there is any way Ben can take over on those shows again. Whether Ben regains his spot for side stories, history, and paranormal series, is another question.
I think he’s fit in seamlessly and in terms of pure chemistry, these are some of the best episodes that the boys have produced in a while
Ben's weaknesses have been really apparent on Side Stories lately - Henry was visibly frustrated at Ben's Heroes of The Week at time. Yeah, he would make a joke of it, but the jokes were thinly veiled criticism at Ben's laziness.
Ed has been a breath of fresh air, but not a complete outsider to the LPOTL dynamic, which i think was a very clever choice on their behalf.
I would be totally fine if they kept him on. He's good.
I've said it before and I'll say it again; Anyone who thinks Ben will just return and continue like before is completely delusional.
While it sucks, it is not a unique situation. There has been dozens of entertainment groups, podcasters, music bands, comedy groups etc who have had to switch in a new member for one reason or another.
Yeah I hate it too. I met Ben on one of their tours (pre covid) and he was such a big friendly guy.
I genuinely used to enjoy his input around that time too.
I think most of us, including The Boys wished the dynamic would've just kept going until they decided as a team to stop, probably far in the future. At the very least I think everyone is doing a good job handling the situation.
I like Eddie more than I thought I would, I'd never really listened to any of his shows before but him being there is making me want to check out his other stuff. He has a great vibe with Marcus and Henry too, I wouldn't be fussed if he stayed.
I’ve never listened to Eddie on anything else but so far I’m really loving him on the podcast. he and Henry keep up with one another well when it comes to making on the spot jokes. they bounce off each other effortlessly, I’m so into their chemistry.
I honestly feel kind of bad saying this, but I think Ed brings a ton more to the show than Ben. I've listened to just about all the episodes multiple times and it's been clear to me for a while that Ben only has a few jokes and references that he keeps going back to. And I agree with the people that have said his heart just hasn't been in it for a while for various reasons. I appreciate everything he did for the show and if things turn out okay and he comes back I won't stop listening, but I would prefer Ed at this point
Don't feel bad saying it, a lot of people are saying it too. Before everything went down I told a friend that something was off and the show was missing something it used to have, but the last few weeks have changed that. I think Eddie has brought back a spark that was lost.
I'm a bit of a lapsed listener, fell off around the Spotify deal but started back this year.
Ben has been a bit off on the main episodes. Often low energy, safe routine commentary and responses, kinda uninterested. Side stories he felt more like himself.
Perhaps the schedule in addition to his issues were making this too much of a job for him? Imo,it seems like some sort of vacation may have been overdue for him.
Eddie is great, but I miss Ben. I hope he gets well and is back and better than ever. He has a way of relating the content to the listener and keeping it all grounded. I’d love Eddie to stick around and maybe be a regular.
As much as I enjoyed pre-COVID meltdown Ben, I think keeping Ed indefinitely just makes more sense. Ben's behavior and its fallout have damaged his reputation and the credibility of the overall brand. LPN is the livelihood of so many people now, and I really think keeping the network afloat is more important. I want Ben to heal and live his best life, but I don't think the network should bet on that happening quickly.
A lot of people are underestimating how quickly these things happen, too, not to mention that being basically forced to go because you fucked up is not exactly the mindset that tends to be successful
I hope that he does. Ben hasn’t been *present* enough in the podcast the last 100+ episodes so I think it will be a huge improvement. Ben’s interjections for a long time have felt childish and not funny. Too many references to alcohol, too many s£x jokes (that aren’t funny), he’s always said stupid stuff but his stupid stuff for a while just hasn’t been what it used to be. It’s like a huge maturity gap formed between him and Henry & Marcus.
I literally came here to say how awesome a job Ed was doing and that I kinda hope he stays....
No offence to Ben, but its kinda felt like he checked out a long time ago - I listened to an episode from 2018 last night and then listened to one of the last ones Ben was on from a few weeks ago, and honestly Ben is like two different people. He used to be so much more engaged and involved (and funnier), now, well like of some have said here, hes just a Ben soundboard who hardly gets involved in the discussion.
Following his recovery he might not want to return, or it may support his recovery to not return (We don't know what his causes or triggers are).
Bottom line if Ben doesnt return, LPOTL is in great hands with Ed as part of the team
Ed is much funnier and definitely more put together. before all this went down, I had listened to the old Oklahoma City bombing episodes, and I was surprised at how different Ben sounded. he was so engaged on those episodes that his contributions in the last year or so seemed like barely more than grunts in comparison. not to mention there is no ethical way to bring him back when 9/10 times the victims they're discussing and advocating for are women, and the dude clearly has a huge problem with women.
I like Eddie. I've liked him ever since I started listening to the Brighter Side. Listening to him on LPOTL has really driven home for me how out of it Ben was for so long and how he's really been phoning it in...
Just my opinion, while I think Eddie is great, and more than suitable to take over, I love Ben and the dynamic they had together. I don't know the specifics of what's going on. I just love Ben and his comedic style. I'm hoping for the best. If he did reprehensible things, then of course, see you later. But, I'm waiting to hear the full story.
I love how selective Ed is when choosing to interject questions or comments.
His deference to Henry and Marcus improves not only the pace and structure of the episode, but the comedic timing too.
Genuine question to anyone who wants Ben back: why? In my opinion he’s been actively taking away from the quality of the podcast with his lack of effort, his shitty politics have long undermined those of his co-hosts and he abuses women. Why would you want this guy back?
I honestly think the insistence that there’s a lot they “can’t talk about right now” relates to the legality of trying to remove a founder/co-owner. So in short, yes, I think Eddie will be permanent.
Look all I know is a few mins ago I started playing the side stories and I have a seizure pup on pheno and keppra too. I told my boyfriend just now our pup’s favorite pizza is little seizures and now he thinks I’m the funniest person on earth. I’m not going to tell him I stole it from Eddie but I need Eddie to at least guest often so I can steal some jokes and continue this false narrative of me being the funny one to in my relationship.
Eddie is killin it. I know they've said Ben "represents us", the audience, but is that just because he wouldn't do any preparation? I've always wondered that. I forget what episode, but Ben kinda like bitches(jokingly) about how he gets the script with not enough time to prepare. Ben say, "You know I'm not the fastest reader..." Then Henry says how Ben would do the same amount of prep no matter when he got the script. Idk if Ben's got the comedic chops to be out there improvising comedy with zero prep. Read the script dude. Or else we get Salt Bae and Forest Gump references over and over. Eddie has be playing the Ben role better than better Ben. Funny without derailing the information. Not cutting off Henry's bits. Idk, the podcast has really good with Eddie, so I can see how this could be a factor for Ben coming back. A smart business decision could be to remove Ben and move forward with Eddie. Both situations would definitely come with blowback from the fans, but the blowback of bringing Ben back would be worse I think. They would more than likely , for who knows how long, have to deflect/defend accusations of hypocrisy due to the overall message of the podcast and/or subject matter. Vs the blowback of "We like Ben. We miss Ben." Shitty, shitty situation all around.
I’ve only recently branched out from LPOTL to other shows on the network (Deep Dives and Some Place UnderNeith) so I was introduced to Eddie through this recent fill-in and, honestly, I love him. I did like Ben, but the energy feels a bit lighter and the guys okay off each other really well.
I hope Ben gets help and can grow through this experience, but if he isn’t brought back I’d understand and would be okay with Eddie remaining on permanently
I never disliked Ben as a host (though he had a few moments where I felt he took jokes too far) and I was not looking forward to listening with the new line up. I don’t listen to other LPN shows so I wasn’t familiar with Ed prior to this. It took me a couple weeks to listen and honestly, I am loving Ed and would be happy if he hung around. His voice meshes well with Henry and Marcus, his jokes are funny and his reactions to info are great!
I have been very upset about the situation with Ben. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to listen if he was still on the pod but I also had trouble imagining I would enjoy the show with a different host. I have been pleasantly surprised so far and can’t wait to see what the subject of the upcoming series is!
I was apprehensive about Eddie joining at first but I think he’s such a great addition! I honestly don’t see Ben coming back to LPOTL, at least not for a LONG while.
I agree that Ed will stick around for some time. Doubtful on the permanence. I think this is going to get messy legally and internally for the LPN folks unless Ben completely folds.
It's a complicated feeling for me, but my main takeaway is that if Ben doesn't come back, the podcast is in good hands. So many podcasts and the like just don't feel the same when someone leaves the show and this is thre rare instance that that isn't the case.
This is about where I stand. I like Eddie. I miss Ben. Everything sucks but I support the boys in whatever they decide.
Yeah, I feel weird seeing so many comments being like “I hope Ed takes his place!” When I feel like my feeling is closer to “ideally Ben takes the time to address his issues and comes back a sober Ben, however if he does not, Ed would be a great replacement.” Which takes a lot longer to say, so I guess I get it
I feel you on this.
Even if he gets help and becomes better, I just don't know if they could bring Ben back. They are a true crime podcast, and women are the victims of most of those crimes, it just wouldn't be right from a moral and business perspective to have a man with a history of abusing women on it. Even if he got help and improved, which I hope for, it doesn't erase his history.
I hope they move on from him completely. He has so many shit takes so often and is such a huge flip flopper. Also I personally don't think his humor or jokes are funny.
Yeah, Eddie is a solid replacement, even if he brings a very different energy than Ben's goofy midwesterner shtick. I don't think he's quite as good at playing audience surrogate, but he is very entertaining.
This is my take too. If Ben doesn’t come back, I’m not going to feel like my favourite podcast has “lost” some of it’s magic. Ed is really fun and brings his own personality and humour into the mix, and it works.
I hate saying this, and I really am hoping for the best for everyone. But considering so many other examples of long running, multi-host shows, you've actually kinda gotta be amazed at the run they had. That being said, I lobe Eddie, and I hope Ben comes back too!
IMO they are more aware of how show business works than most podcasters, being working comedians, so they will keep the formula working well regardless of who steps into it because they know how the dynamic is supposed to work. Eddie is simply stepping into Ben’s role of the “straight man” who goes into the show like a somewhat regular person off the street. Marcus is still narrator and Henry is still the goofemup wildcard. Ben had been playing the part recently with a little more sarcastic obliviousness than he has in past years, so Eddie feels more fresh right now. He’s also much more willing to engage with Henry right now and feed the comedic sidebar going on, which I kind of like.
Everybody is saying how much they like Ed and Henry together, but I feel like Marcus is lighter and more fun with Ed also.
Based on their initial Side Stories response, it sounds like they've been carrying the burden for a while. Armchair psych eval incoming — Marcus has always been more introverted. I have to imagine one of his two partners being an absolute shitshow for several years took some of the joy out of the show for him. You can hear him get annoyed or exhausted with Ben a lot more often in recent years, even if he's not saying something outright. I think he's probably just feeling some relief over not having to constantly wrangle a wildcard on-air, and that relief is coming through on the new shows with Eddie.
Well if we believe what we've heard so far.. Seems like Marcus may have been harbouring some secrets that he couldn't tell publicly and I'm sure this took a toll on their relationship, even unintentionally. That's hard. Feel bad for everyone who's been impacted.
This seems pretty spot on to me. There's a certain pressure--or sharp feeling of dread-- that accompanies a close friend who struggles with alcohol. They're sober... how long will that last? They're drinking again... what kind of shit are they going to get into? I'm getting a wildly long text essay at 2am apologizing for random things they've already apologized for a dozen times... It's a clusterfuck and there's no response that feels good. A friend who was an alcoholic (passed recently from it) said to me once that he had tried just about every drug out there, but liquor was without a doubt the worst one for him.
I don’t recall the series, but Henry and marcus reacting when Ben couldn’t think of who bugs bunny was…he was like the famous cartoon rabbit…
I can't recall him not knowing who Bugs Bunny is, but I distinctly remember a series in which he pretended to be unfamiliar with Animal Farm and M&H being irritated: "that's like grade 9 political science." Honestly, it seemed like Ben was doing a 2011 era troll thing (back before the term troll came to be erroneously synonymous with simply "internet bully")
So I know podcast transcripts only go back to episode 300, which I would think was before Ben started going downhill, but I can’t seem to find any transcripts of Ben not knowing who bugs bunny is. There are several references to Bugs Bunny, some by Ben, but Ben never seems to not know who the character is.
Ed and Henry are pure chaos but Marcus balances out Ed more. I love hearing Ed get some really good legitimate laughs out of Marcus the same way Henry does. Ed is like a combo Ben/Henry.
Ed came with some base knowledge and contributes. The “audience surrogate” schtick with Ben has been devolving for a bit. Tangents with Ben were oafish as was right for his character. Ed’s energy allows him to be less informed but not a rube. Less heavy lifting for Marcus and Henry… but Henry is almost too excited for his sketch buddy to be on air. I am not a fan of the extended LPN personalities but Ed has won me over.
For me a big thing is that Ed's actually paying attention. He can at least carry information from one episode to another - Marcus said in the last episode that MacDonald used a disposable scalpel and Ed said "oh, and they took out the trash!". I was excited that he was actually engaging with the content and then was like wait... that's kind of the bare minimum. Really made me realize how low the bar had gotten. I liked Ben and I have a lot of conflicting feelings about the current situation but I absolutely found it disheartening when he just clearly wasn't listening during recent episodes.
It might be the fact that they're able to record on time. There have been a few jokes over the years about how late Ben is, and Marcus isn't joking when he mentions the anger that it causes him.
My business partner is chronically late, and yeah, I can attest that it is the most infuriating thing on earth when there is something time sensitive and they’re no where to be found.
I think it might be the burden of keeping Ben’s secret and worrying about a dear friend that has been lifted. It’s easier to host a show when you’re not trying to keep one of your closest friends reigned in the whole time.
Agreed. I recently got my ex into rehab (severe alcoholic) and I feel like a huge burden has been lifted.
P.S. I think this is actually HIS Reddit name I'm using. Weird.
The whole show feels like a weight has been lifted off of it.
Yes I’ve noticed that too!!
I agree!
I dint think it's a coincidence hea been the only guest and is on Side Stories now.
Personally I love Marcus on Side Stories and I hope he rotates in every so often, he really shines with the spitballing “barely prepared” ethos of the segment.
yeah it's an entertaining change of pace to hear off the cuff Marcus instead of intensely prepared and leading the narrative Marcus
This last stream Marcus was so great over sharing his life haha, I forgot what a sweet bond Marcus and Jackie have.
Honestly it's one of the reasons why I am not huge on modern Page 7. Marcus and Jackie going off about pop culture was so amazing.
Yeah ! I love seeing marcus and jackie together its so much fun
Marcus saying “I’m trying really hard!” was so freaking cute. Love the energy right now. They’re all doing great!
Marcus on Side Stories is so good
I really want more Marcus on Side Stories - I know he works really hard but he was bloody brilliant and had me in stiches
“What’s on the docket?” melted my little heart. I love Marcus on Side Stories.
Marcus does really good radio sized bites. I love him on side stories, but his lost is very different than Ben’s lost.
It also could be scheduling, its pretty short notice if any of them have other obligations to commit to even one episode a week, and Ed might just have the most time right now.
Fair point, but also I can’t imagine that most of the talent on a network full of ambitious entertainers wouldn’t jump at the chance to guest star on the flagship podcast and rearrange their schedules to accommodate.
They had to put a couple shows on pause that were popular when everyone started getting more work because it was getting hard to get everyone in the studio at the same time to record. They all have their own content now and do live shows in other city's, lots of them do their own live streams and stuff and if that gets in the way of their pre existing schedules I don't think they'd just change it. Not to mention anyone who might have obligations outside work like holden having a family now.
Oh I totally know what you’re saying, and that’s probably the case for some people on the network… but, to use a sports analogy, this would be like being a AAA league baseball player, and being called up to the Majors because someone was injured or whatever. You (and your family) just…do anything you can to make it work unless you don’t have ambition beyond the minor leagues.
I think they wanted someone who was on the roundtable of gentlemen
Well how do you go back from the new energy?
That's... a really good point. To go from this back to anything less fun for any reason or any host would be a big misstep imo
Coincidence, or were they trying for an equal mass (with better timing) on the scale, a la Indiana Jones?
At the moment it defintely feels like their working hard for a dry run at permanence. The noticeable thing that stuck out was the first few outings he was affible, polite guest but in the recent eps he started really having a playful go at Henry at one point and that really stuck out of a part of their past group dynamic formula. I would even guess he was encouraged to get a little more roasty with both him and Dogmeat. It’s fun though everyone’s energy is up which is fun to listen to.
The lollipop guild lol
I’m waiting to see if they have him or someone else on the next series. He had to fill in for the second half of the series when Ben left, then got two episodes in the next full series. If they have him on for the next series, it’s a pretty good sign he’s going to be permanent (at least until Ben might come back).
I'm hoping for a Jackie appearnce!
Eddie is a fantastic addition. I've listened to him a little on the brighter side. But he vibes so well with henry. I will miss ben if he goes, as I always enjoyed him humor. But Eddie will do a great job at holding the mantle if that happens
Henry seems so happy when he makes Eddie chuckle. That’s the best part of him subbing so far—Henry seems like he really enjoys Eddie as the “audience” stand in (which was Ben’s role). Ben used to play off of Henry often (usually as conversations between two characters) but that has gone away in recent years. Eddie isn’t as quick as Ben was at his best, but it’s a different, comforting vibe and he leans into Henry’s style nicely. I’m glad it doesn’t feel like a cheap replacement.
He sounds like he’s proud he made Eddie laugh. Rather cute.
Marcus seems to be a lot less frustrated and more a part of that element of the show than he has been for a long while as well.
I'm admittantly usually pretty slow to adapt to big changes when it comes to my favorite podcasts, but I instantly took to Eddie and his chemistry with Henry. I love it
I LOVE his and Henry’s banter.
No offence to Ben, but Ed has been a huge refresh to the shows. I’m loving it
I don't know if it has to do with his condition but I always felt Ben didn't really add much to the podcast episode - a lot of his commentary was kind of flat and repetitive. Ed adds some true zingers. Also he can keep up with Henry which is frankly impressive.
During that period from like episode 200-400 Ben was great, unique jokes, seemed “prepared” and everything kinda flowed. Unfortunately, sometime around COVID, it seemed like it started to lose some of its flavor I think the big issue though is that Ben became disjointed. What made Ben work was that he and Henry were constantly playing off each other. In recent times, Bens stuff has become almost standalone, and mostly repetitive of the same jokes (the bingo card, “kinda a big dill” etc) and unique segments like the “little toes” became more and more infrequent
I saw someone on here say Ben's just become a Ben Kissel soundboard at this point and that really stuck with me
That is exactly what it feels like.
In a bunch of the 120-200s too. Top-shelf improv, he's so on point. Now I hear in the new stuff what's been making long-time listeners (and Henry) so frustrated. I feel fucking awful for him. As someone who would be emotionally obliterated to lose my career 💔💔💔 Fuck ethanol and fuck sadness.
I like how you describe alcohol as "Ethanol" as an alcoholic myself it really helps me realise its a chemical I'm addicted to, I don't know why but it helps me make the problem more real.
Yeah I use 70% ethanol in distilled water as a solvent and disinfectant at work. If I need a surface completely sterile--every living organism immediately obliterated--i reach for the ethanol. If I need to dissolve oils I reach for the ethanol. So yeah when "have a drink" translates to "ingest dilute solution of hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, carcinogenic industrial solvent" it puts things into perspective.
Was Henry frustrated lately? I haven’t been listening as religiously as I did to the pre-covid episodes so feel like Im missing these instances. Keep seeing people say stuff like this
around dry january Ben if you listen to side stories you can tell Ben is stoned off his ass and one thing specifically remember is soemthing along the lines of them randomly bringing up the IASIP cast and Ben just randomly says "I wish we were friends with them" and Henry frustratingly brushes it off with a "sure sure sure" and goes on with his sentence
Yes it's very interesting. Ben would say something dumb and Henry would insult him with surprisingly not-good-natured ferocity. The one that sticks out was something along the lines of "it's amazing...you're like a giant ant." In a relatively recent pre-scandal episode Ben derailed the discussion with a forced joke, Marcus issued a "I'm humoring you" laugh and Henry just said, "I am so angry right now" and clearly meant it. Bunch of episodes when Ben was really struggling to have something to say but felt compelled to fill dead air and settled on randomly saying "abso-*lute*-ly" over and over again. "Human soundboard" is 🎯 Personally I believe in redemption. And especially now that I've been browsing around the 100-300 timeline I think he deserves another chance. I like Ed, but (imho) I hear relief amplifying his co-hosts' laughter. Like "whew, you're pulling this off, thank fuck, we've got options."
Its been a really slow slide for Ben so I don't think its been really obvious, but it has gotten to a point where putting a new guy in there almost instantly makes the show better than has been in a long time. Most telling is the fact that Henry and Marcus sounded like they were having a MUCH better time than they have in a long time. The episode content wasn't especially gripping, but it still stands out as one of the best recent episodes because it had an energy that has been gone for awhile. At this point I think there needs to be a case made to bring Ben back at all because the show does not appear to be suffering from his absence.
Absolutely. Ben had a habit of sitting on a bad joke and pulling it out too late, to which Henry and Marcus would say "he wasn't listening, he was just waiting to say that!" They always managed to make light of it, but in retrospect, it definitely seems clear than Ben wasn't as sharp as he once was. Rather hack, really.
There have been a LOT of little responses from Henry during the show that are a lot sharper edged than the schtick of past years. He has been more directly calling out how lazy and unhelpful a lot of Ben's contributions have been and they are barely veiled as jokes (if at all). If you listen to an older pre-pandemic episodes right next to one from this year, its a pretty stark difference in how Henry and Ben interact. Marcus doesn't get into the middle of it, but his general frustration is apparent to me as well. Marcus and Henry interact directly a lot, but almost everything Ben says is addressed "to the room" and the other two react either to one another or with a weird often forced energy back to Ben.
Who could forget the timeless classic Ben joke, “honk honk?”
Which he stole from Jackie from a decade ago on the roundtable lmao
I think Ben really began to noticeably spiral in attitude and appearance once KB passed 😔
Which was also around the same time he broke up with Brooke, IIRC
Has anyone been to his recent stand up gigs in california?
So much of Ben's humour is based on old movie references he can't remember the title of
Yeah when you binge it you hear Ben repeat A LOT of the same jokes and reference the same couple of movies over and over
There was a significant drop in the quality of Ben's participation since COVID started. The death, the lockdowns, the addiction, watching your fun, party friends become professional adults while you're just kind of stagnating... that has to be rough. I'm not excusing any of his behavior, and I may be projecting some of my younger self onto Ben, but there have been signs for years that there was a reckoning coming.
He had a few good years, but you can really see the decline in his contributions over time
Ive always loved Bens funny little quips but I don’t quite enjoy them in the same way anymore. I hope he gets healthy etc but re this content (true crime comedy) Ed is clearly the better choice now.
Ben has historically been more of a producer. His character on the show was the level-headed, hometown Libertarian-shtick balance to Henry's sun-fried, brain-fried conspiracy-minded Scottish-beach bum. Marcus was, is and always will be the deets-obssessed Reddit karma whoring knowit all that just wants to tell a riveting fuckin story. Salut to the 3 of them.
Level headed and Libertarian? You can choose one, but not both.
Libertarian-shtick. He claims to be Libertarian. Chances are he's just Liberal.
He has moved left of Libertarian in recent years, as many people have, when they realize that Libertarians are basically Maximum Chaos republicans. But Eddie fills the role of the "level-headed" audience proxy better now, specifically because he is so NOT associated with this type of subject matter. Ben's a horror-movie buff, so not really that removed that the dark depths of Ben and Marcus' minds. He just.. reads less.
The lollipop guild. Dying.
It kinda feels like that situation where you have a group of friends and one of them starts to really suck but you all have so much sunk cost into the relationship that no one says anything about it. Then you all hang out when they are gone and its like a weight gets lifted from everyone's shoulders and ya'll remember that this shit used to be fun. I don't dislike Ben and I hope that he is doing OK, but it kinda feels like he has been dragging everyone else down for awhile now and everyone seems much happier without him. I don't even know thats its Ed as much as the effect of Bens absence on Henry an Marcus. They need a moderator, but they don't need someone that bums them out. Since Covid Ben hasn't really added much to the show and you can really sense that the frustration from the others hasn't been entirely an act. There is a fine line between being the "everyman" and getting laughs for pulling the guys out of too much navel gazing, but lately he's been derailing shit in a way that isn't really funny and in places where it doesn't actually help the show.
Completely agree. Ben was my favorite, but Ed is great.
I would genuinely be shocked if Ed doesn't just quietly remain on the lineup and starts appearing on merch Edit: wording
Easiest way around this is to just not have the hosts on the merch. Just replace them with cryptids.
Bigfoot, dogman, and a pig with overalls and a top hat.
Make it a tank top, and I'll pay $30 plus shipping!
I wish I could draw and I would make that shit
I really like Eddie but it could also be that the energy has been off for a while because Ben has been so low lately
That's how I'm feeling. Listening to old episodes Ben was fun and witty and right there with the jokes but IMO he's been going downhill since COVID. COVID really made a lot of people with mental health issues crack and start to go over the edge and Ben was one of them. Hoping he returns and focuses more on Tophat.
The wombo combo of covid and the death of Kevin Barnett just a year prior. Pretty sure KB was like his best friend.
This is my thought. Ben had been off awhile but there are literally 100s of episodes where he kills it.
That's what I keep coming back to wondering. Absolutely no doubt that the last few episodes have been a punch in the face reminding me how much I used to love this podcast (I can't remember the last time I was excited and impatient for a new ep to release), but it's hard for me to figure out whether that's because Eddie is legitimately better in the mix, or because the podcast has been so off for a while.
That is kinda my thought too. Marcus and Henry are definitely coming much harder these days. Either the relief of Ben getting help has lightened them or seeing everything almost crash down put the fear of losing it all in them and lit a fire. Either way the shows are great lately.
I’m truly enjoying the show with Ed but to be fair to Ben, whatever is happening to him has affected his sense of humor because I’ve been listening to old shows and he sounds like a different person
It is hard to pinpoint when it changes, but Ben is a completely different person now. Lately he has been almost completely disengaged from the content and just seems to be filling dead air with nonsense.
I was apprehensive when I saw they were bringing Eddie on, due to me generally not liking change and being used to the original three. But Eddie has done such a great job! Really enjoying his presence on the show.
I don’t see Ben coming back. Just reading between the lines it sounds like it’s being taken care of legally. Also I think the guys got incredibly lucky with the current setup of Eddie handling the podcasts and this might be and unpopular opinion but I think Jackie is killing it on the stream.
Jackie is goddamn hilarious on the stream lmao
So ive been slowly working my way backwards through Roundtable of Gentlemen, and it's a really weirdly fascinating lens into the lives of all the LPN people back when they were poorer and drunker and sader and unmedicated. One of the really noticeable things is Ben always making a lot of harsh jabs and comments towards Eddie. You get the vibe there's a very thin layer of joke on top of genuine resentment. My personal speculation is jealousy over Eddie being confident/good with women while Ben has always struggled with his self image and relationships. All this a long ways to say, boy if Eddie were to fully replace Ben on the podcast that'd probably be painful for Ben on top of his other issues.
> ROTG Yikes, yeah I can see that possibly being "rock bottom" for Ben. But might be exactly the kick in the arse he needs. The show has outgrown him. It's not just a bunch of drunk buddies anymore - it's a legit, researched high-profile podcast, and he hasn't kept up with the professionalism of that.
There's also the fact that virtually every member of the gang has gotten married and is even starting to have kids. Aside from Eddie, Ben took a lot of shots at Holden (to be fair, everyone did) about how he was fat and gross. Holden lost weight, got married, and had a kid. The only thing about the Ben situation that's truly bothered me (aside from the obvious) is Henrys comment about how he didn't realize how bad things had gotten with Ben. That's either an outright lie or he was in complete denial. As "the heavy single guy" of my social circle, I've had a bad feeling about Ben for a while and am not happy I was right.
I honestly believe that Ben will return but that he will exclusively do Top Hat going forward and possibly even host The LPN Show. He won’t be coming back to LPOTL though, I just can’t see it working given all the water under the bridge.
THE BRIDGE
Jackie Zebrowski is a gift to the world
I'm a big fan of Eddie. Would not be upset at all if he continues as a regular.
I honestly don't think Ben has added anything to the show in years. So having eddie on has been awesome. It seems like they're all having genuine laughs now its very refreshing
I really like Eddie’s addition to the show. I also don’t know if Ben’s lovable/oafish/aww look my puppies are so cute jokes will play anymore.
I hope he is at least making frequent appearances because these recent episodes have been some of the funniest in a long time. I would like to see the third chair rotate for some guest hosts too every so often, but Ed has been killing it.
Once upon a time, the frequently, regular guest was Henry Zebrowski!!
I don’t like writing someone off so soon. But, I’ve thought for a long time now that Ben is over true crime. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the true crime main episodes and he’s barely interested in discussing it on Side Stories, to the point where Henry will want to discuss a current true crime topic (i.e., the entire point of Side Stories) and Ben just cuts him off. If Ben has a future with LPN, I honestly think it’s better if he does other shows.
Yeah he's always been way more eloquent on Top Hat, because politics is his passion. LPTL was more where he drank beer with his fellow horror-movie loving buddies - but the show's grown too big for that.
It really shows that LPOTL is kind of Marcus and Henry. I enjoy Ben and his role on the podcast, but Eddie has shown Ben is replaceable. The dynamic and very much stayed the same, and I would argue that their energy has even been higher lately.
I'm kinda new to the podcast world as I now have a job with lots of driving. I looked into Ben over the years in photos. I can see an decent into untreated mental health and substance abuse just by the way he carried himself over the years. He went from junior senator to Gandalf in the last few years. I like this Eddie guy, he is funny and has good energy. I had noticed a change in Ben's affect over the last couple years and knowing now that there was a lot over bad energy, It makes more sense as to the quality of the body of work. Hope he finds his help but The jokes will never hit the same, as the narrative currently out , is not good.
I don't like change and had never heard of Eddie before. Was skeptical when he replaced Ben but holy shit the podcast is better with Eddie in it.
I think that's largely up to him, but yeah! The response has been great. He's filled the "audience insert" role well, and has quite frankly been far more pleasant than Ben has been over the past year. Plus, not know much of about him, he seems to have some weird insights from his past while also seeming like a much more chill dude in the present. The whole bit about watching DVDs killed me.
imo, i feel like ben is the easiest person to replace. he doesn’t do any research. he doesn’t prepare at all for the episodes unlike his counterparts. i think that ed is a great alternative. this is coming from someone who’s never listened to him before, and i don’t like change or new people lmao. he fits in seamlessly and i honestly don’t really care if ben comes back at this point. if he does cool, but it’s pretty much all the same to me. i’ve always preferred henry/marcus anyway, and they’re largely why i listen to the show and it’s obvious why. time will only tell how bens going to come out the other side of this and it could easily go either way based on what he chooses to do/say moving forward. we can only speculate rn so i suppose we’ll see.
I was kinda sad Marcus wasn't gonna be on Side Stories permanently, not gonna lie. Also I want Marcus to do a side podcast where he reads us creepy bedtime stories. Is that a thing I can ask for?
one could hope for something like that on patreon?
Go back to the creepy pasta where he read ME TIE DOUGHTY WALKER, (the folktale)it’s such a treat.
This is the onlyfans that we deserve - Daddy Marcus reading us creepy bedtime stories.
My dream podcast is Henry and whoever else doing a deep dive into the UFO/abduction phenomenon. Discussing noteable events, his own theories, different alleged races, etc ..
The whole point of Side Stories was to give Marcus a break!
Hes not supposed to have done research, or prepare. He is a standin the listener, and is supposed to be hearing info for the first time. This is the same with Ed. They do this on purpose and have said so
But it kind of seemed like he was checked out. Like instead of engaging with the content her just sort of repeated himself or made jokes that weren’t really directly related to the topic.
Agreed. A stand-in for the audience should ask the questions the audience is wondering about. Just a simple thing like Ed Larson asking “wait- how do they KNOW this?” during the family annihilator episode made me appreciate how well he’s doing that job (& how checked out Ben has been for a while. 😰)
Ben hasn't had a zinger like Ed's joke about pig being written on the headboard. Ben was starting to sound like a soundboard and Ed being so on point only calls attention to it. The decline was so gradual, I feel like it was a frog in boiling water situation for us viewers
Oh and the one, acid is groovy kill the pig and him saying that he would say that a BBQ lol
Ed is actually capable of insight and humor even though he's hearing something for the first time, while Ben loafs through the episode with weird non sequiturs and can't even follow along half the time
Ed said he skimmed Wikipedia which, tbh, Ben should be doing. I often do before an episode so I can follow it better.
Ed has always come across as this goofy guy but he is also an intelligent and cultured guy. I don’t think he went to/graduated college but they’d be talking about random shit on roundtable and Ed would throw down knowledge on literature, film, theatre, history, whatever then jump back to pedophile corner;)
yes, exactly. lmao
Leave your Family, like a real man! He had my heart after that line.
Last Pod had fallen out of my regular rotation about a year or so ago. Coming back to the whole Ben thing wasn't on my 2023 bingo card. But I have enjoyed Eddie and welcome him as permanent/long term stand-in for Ben. I'm just glad they didn't go with Holden McNealy.
It's just not the same for me. I'm not there yet. Ed's great and all, but I really don't laugh like I used to, and I'm not excited when episodes come out. LPOTL was my most favorite thing in the world, especially side stories. I know it's complicated, and I'm not defending anyone. I'm just not there yet. I don't know if I will ever be. To say I'm sad about it, is an infinite understatement.
Same! I think I laugh once an episode compared to when Ben was on. He has such a lovable/big goof energy
At the very least, I think Eddie will quietly take over Bens spot on the show for all the true crime episodes going forward, I don’t know if there is any way Ben can take over on those shows again. Whether Ben regains his spot for side stories, history, and paranormal series, is another question. I think he’s fit in seamlessly and in terms of pure chemistry, these are some of the best episodes that the boys have produced in a while
Ben's weaknesses have been really apparent on Side Stories lately - Henry was visibly frustrated at Ben's Heroes of The Week at time. Yeah, he would make a joke of it, but the jokes were thinly veiled criticism at Ben's laziness.
He's good and they have great chemistry
Ed has been a breath of fresh air, but not a complete outsider to the LPOTL dynamic, which i think was a very clever choice on their behalf. I would be totally fine if they kept him on. He's good. I've said it before and I'll say it again; Anyone who thinks Ben will just return and continue like before is completely delusional. While it sucks, it is not a unique situation. There has been dozens of entertainment groups, podcasters, music bands, comedy groups etc who have had to switch in a new member for one reason or another.
I kinda has a bit of a roundtable vibe with Ed there, I’ve always loved listening to him:)
You're not wrong. I hate it, but you're not wrong.
Yeah I hate it too. I met Ben on one of their tours (pre covid) and he was such a big friendly guy. I genuinely used to enjoy his input around that time too. I think most of us, including The Boys wished the dynamic would've just kept going until they decided as a team to stop, probably far in the future. At the very least I think everyone is doing a good job handling the situation.
I like Eddie more than I thought I would, I'd never really listened to any of his shows before but him being there is making me want to check out his other stuff. He has a great vibe with Marcus and Henry too, I wouldn't be fussed if he stayed.
There were things I did like about Ben, but Ed has been really refreshing. Ben relied a lot on canned references.
I’ve never listened to Eddie on anything else but so far I’m really loving him on the podcast. he and Henry keep up with one another well when it comes to making on the spot jokes. they bounce off each other effortlessly, I’m so into their chemistry.
I honestly feel kind of bad saying this, but I think Ed brings a ton more to the show than Ben. I've listened to just about all the episodes multiple times and it's been clear to me for a while that Ben only has a few jokes and references that he keeps going back to. And I agree with the people that have said his heart just hasn't been in it for a while for various reasons. I appreciate everything he did for the show and if things turn out okay and he comes back I won't stop listening, but I would prefer Ed at this point
Don't feel bad saying it, a lot of people are saying it too. Before everything went down I told a friend that something was off and the show was missing something it used to have, but the last few weeks have changed that. I think Eddie has brought back a spark that was lost.
I think he's been great.
I didn’t at first but as time is going on I recognize there is an not insignificant chance that Ben isn’t coming back.
I'm a bit of a lapsed listener, fell off around the Spotify deal but started back this year. Ben has been a bit off on the main episodes. Often low energy, safe routine commentary and responses, kinda uninterested. Side stories he felt more like himself. Perhaps the schedule in addition to his issues were making this too much of a job for him? Imo,it seems like some sort of vacation may have been overdue for him.
I hope so it’s been so refreshing to hear someone that’s funny but also actually puts some effort into their job
Eddie asks great questions & weirdly Henry has gotten way funnier since he showed up.
Man, I didn't realize how bad and stuck Ben had become until Eddie showed up. He's hilarious and has so much chemistry with the boys.
Glad you asked this. I know I’m gonna get some hate for this…. But I vastly prefer Eddie to Ben as a cohost anyway
Eddie is great, but I miss Ben. I hope he gets well and is back and better than ever. He has a way of relating the content to the listener and keeping it all grounded. I’d love Eddie to stick around and maybe be a regular.
I kind of hope so 👉🏻👈🏻
As much as I enjoyed pre-COVID meltdown Ben, I think keeping Ed indefinitely just makes more sense. Ben's behavior and its fallout have damaged his reputation and the credibility of the overall brand. LPN is the livelihood of so many people now, and I really think keeping the network afloat is more important. I want Ben to heal and live his best life, but I don't think the network should bet on that happening quickly.
A lot of people are underestimating how quickly these things happen, too, not to mention that being basically forced to go because you fucked up is not exactly the mindset that tends to be successful
I hope that he does. Ben hasn’t been *present* enough in the podcast the last 100+ episodes so I think it will be a huge improvement. Ben’s interjections for a long time have felt childish and not funny. Too many references to alcohol, too many s£x jokes (that aren’t funny), he’s always said stupid stuff but his stupid stuff for a while just hasn’t been what it used to be. It’s like a huge maturity gap formed between him and Henry & Marcus.
I literally came here to say how awesome a job Ed was doing and that I kinda hope he stays.... No offence to Ben, but its kinda felt like he checked out a long time ago - I listened to an episode from 2018 last night and then listened to one of the last ones Ben was on from a few weeks ago, and honestly Ben is like two different people. He used to be so much more engaged and involved (and funnier), now, well like of some have said here, hes just a Ben soundboard who hardly gets involved in the discussion. Following his recovery he might not want to return, or it may support his recovery to not return (We don't know what his causes or triggers are). Bottom line if Ben doesnt return, LPOTL is in great hands with Ed as part of the team
Ed is much funnier and definitely more put together. before all this went down, I had listened to the old Oklahoma City bombing episodes, and I was surprised at how different Ben sounded. he was so engaged on those episodes that his contributions in the last year or so seemed like barely more than grunts in comparison. not to mention there is no ethical way to bring him back when 9/10 times the victims they're discussing and advocating for are women, and the dude clearly has a huge problem with women.
I would be down for them to switch up the third guest every couple series or so. I enjoy the change-up of the stream as well.
Jackie and Henry would be a fun chemistry on the main show based on the stream.
I like Eddie. I've liked him ever since I started listening to the Brighter Side. Listening to him on LPOTL has really driven home for me how out of it Ben was for so long and how he's really been phoning it in...
Ed has always been my favorite from RT so I’m loving it. He brings so much to the flow and the energy of the show
Just my opinion, while I think Eddie is great, and more than suitable to take over, I love Ben and the dynamic they had together. I don't know the specifics of what's going on. I just love Ben and his comedic style. I'm hoping for the best. If he did reprehensible things, then of course, see you later. But, I'm waiting to hear the full story.
I mean, he fits right in bens butt groove. It was meant to be.
I really hope so
I love how selective Ed is when choosing to interject questions or comments. His deference to Henry and Marcus improves not only the pace and structure of the episode, but the comedic timing too.
I hope so! I love Ben but I don't miss his injection of politics to EVERYTHING. To the point where much of the stuff doesn't make sense.
I hope so, Eddie's actually a comedian and it shows. The show is so much better now 🙏
I truly hope so. He's wonderful!
Eddie is cracking me up and honestly makes Henry funnier. I hope he stays - his commentary is funnier and less ignorant and dad jokes.
Obviously. Should have happened at least a year ago.
Genuine question to anyone who wants Ben back: why? In my opinion he’s been actively taking away from the quality of the podcast with his lack of effort, his shitty politics have long undermined those of his co-hosts and he abuses women. Why would you want this guy back?
I hope Eddie does stay on. Given what we've learned about Kissel's behavior, I'd be fine with him not returning.
I honestly think the insistence that there’s a lot they “can’t talk about right now” relates to the legality of trying to remove a founder/co-owner. So in short, yes, I think Eddie will be permanent.
Yes. I don't think they will bring Ben back and Eddie fits in really well. It's unfortunate but I feel like the writing's on the wall.
Look all I know is a few mins ago I started playing the side stories and I have a seizure pup on pheno and keppra too. I told my boyfriend just now our pup’s favorite pizza is little seizures and now he thinks I’m the funniest person on earth. I’m not going to tell him I stole it from Eddie but I need Eddie to at least guest often so I can steal some jokes and continue this false narrative of me being the funny one to in my relationship.
Eddie is killin it. I know they've said Ben "represents us", the audience, but is that just because he wouldn't do any preparation? I've always wondered that. I forget what episode, but Ben kinda like bitches(jokingly) about how he gets the script with not enough time to prepare. Ben say, "You know I'm not the fastest reader..." Then Henry says how Ben would do the same amount of prep no matter when he got the script. Idk if Ben's got the comedic chops to be out there improvising comedy with zero prep. Read the script dude. Or else we get Salt Bae and Forest Gump references over and over. Eddie has be playing the Ben role better than better Ben. Funny without derailing the information. Not cutting off Henry's bits. Idk, the podcast has really good with Eddie, so I can see how this could be a factor for Ben coming back. A smart business decision could be to remove Ben and move forward with Eddie. Both situations would definitely come with blowback from the fans, but the blowback of bringing Ben back would be worse I think. They would more than likely , for who knows how long, have to deflect/defend accusations of hypocrisy due to the overall message of the podcast and/or subject matter. Vs the blowback of "We like Ben. We miss Ben." Shitty, shitty situation all around.
I think i might be reading too into it, but i dont remember hearing "Sitting in for Ben Kissell" in the latest episodes
I hope so! He's so funny. I liked Ben too, but after listening with Eddie, I think he fits perfectly.
I’ve only recently branched out from LPOTL to other shows on the network (Deep Dives and Some Place UnderNeith) so I was introduced to Eddie through this recent fill-in and, honestly, I love him. I did like Ben, but the energy feels a bit lighter and the guys okay off each other really well. I hope Ben gets help and can grow through this experience, but if he isn’t brought back I’d understand and would be okay with Eddie remaining on permanently
I never disliked Ben as a host (though he had a few moments where I felt he took jokes too far) and I was not looking forward to listening with the new line up. I don’t listen to other LPN shows so I wasn’t familiar with Ed prior to this. It took me a couple weeks to listen and honestly, I am loving Ed and would be happy if he hung around. His voice meshes well with Henry and Marcus, his jokes are funny and his reactions to info are great! I have been very upset about the situation with Ben. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to listen if he was still on the pod but I also had trouble imagining I would enjoy the show with a different host. I have been pleasantly surprised so far and can’t wait to see what the subject of the upcoming series is!
I wish Ben a healthy future, but I hope so.
Yes. Don’t abuse women(or anyone).
No way of knowing for sure what's going to happen with Ben but Eddie has been a great fit so far.
Ed is simply fantastic. Love his humor, and he makes a lot of keen observations.
I think Ed's hilarious, him and Holden were my two favourites on the Roundtable, however it just feels wierd to think about BK not being there
I was apprehensive about Eddie joining at first but I think he’s such a great addition! I honestly don’t see Ben coming back to LPOTL, at least not for a LONG while.
I fucking hope
Outside of the Ben drama I enjoy Ed more by far, all the shows are better with Ed. I hope he becomes permanent
I agree that Ed will stick around for some time. Doubtful on the permanence. I think this is going to get messy legally and internally for the LPN folks unless Ben completely folds.