Men In Gorilla Suits

Layoffs are a way of life in America. It seems that one of the easiest ways to make 4th quarter numbers is to cut a bunch of people at the end of the 3rd quarter. The days of working at a place for 30-40+ years is long gone...today, you're lucky to see five years at a job. Right now, the company where Christopher works is dealing with more cuts...so...it seemed like a good topic for the week! * * * We kick it off with this: who is the first person we remember being laid off from a job? After that, we discuss why we think layoffs have become more common in recent years. There was a time you walked into a job, were willing to work, and retired at that place. That kind of situation is a thing of the past, however. Find out, if it were possible, if we'd work at a job for 30 years like "the good old days?" -- or if we'd be more like mercenaries and jump to better incomes and different job duties? We chat about how layoffs factor into job loyalty...or a lack of it -- and then go into how many times we've been laid

Summer's gone, and that means some lakes will soon be covered in ice. Memories of swimming and boating will have to carry some through to next year. But others have warm oceans that offer underwater dreamscapes year-round -- and it's rare in a place like Texas that a lake will ever ice over, allowing for some forms of water recreation any month of the year. We came from water, so it's no surprise we spend so much time returning to it as well. So, this week, we're talking about water recreation... * * * We kick it all off with memories of our first swimming experiences -- as well as our first memories of being in a boat. Find out if we're big fans of water recreation, or if we like having our feet planted firmly on land. After that, we talk about the last time we did something on, in, or under water -- and things humans do in water that blow us away. The cruise industry is pretty ridiculous, and we devote some time to chatting about if we've ever been on a cruise (or would like to). Find out the dumbest thing

What’s creepier than a clown in a sewer that eats children? How about a middle-aged Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchise Operator who kills children, stashes them in his floorboards, and sometimes *dresses* like a clown? This week, we talk about what Shawn calls Murder Shows, but the rest of the world calls True Crime TV. Marvel at bad impressions, and our heroes treating the most serious of subjects — actual people who were actually murdered — with the same tact and compassion with which they treat everything. So you *know* that’s not gonna go well.

We come from the water. We change...adapt. We learn new ways of doing things...more times than not, better ways. We adapted so well that we now adapt the things we adapted -- a strange mental and biological origami move that we will never stop...everything folding in and over on itself until new forms emerge. So, with this in mind, this week the upright(ish)-striding Gorillamen talk about adaptations in many various forms... * * * We kick it off talking about the first things we remember adapting to...before moving on to how well we adapt to change (and what's been the hardest things we've had to adapt to in life). Next: people often fume about adaptations of entertainment -- like books to movies. We discuss adaptations better than their original material, our favorite adaptations...and the worst. We also take some time to talk about something we'd love to see adapted from one thing to another. Find out what animal adaptation we'd take...and how well we believe we -- as a species -- have adapted to technology

If Christopher's score this week in Fantasy Football is X, Shawn's score can be equated thusly: (x/2)+5.51 Which is bad. Because Shawn is bad at Fantasy Football, and he should feel bad. But he doesn't. Because it's all just fun and games, right? Right?! The Gorillamen explore these questions and (at least one) more in this week's classic episode!

Americans love junk food. The world loves junk food! We're sure somewhere on other planets, aliens eat junk food (and love it just as much). The Gorillamen are powered by junk food, so...it's time we discussed everybody's favorite thing! * * * It's a busy week, so here's what we discuss this time around: What is the first junk food we remember eating? Did we like it? Were we caught up in the Healthy Eating Craze of the mid-80s? What's the last thing we ate that we'd consider junk food? What's our criteria that makes a food junk? What's a junk food from our childhoods that we miss? Have we ever had a problem with too much junk food? What is the best junk food of all time? Is there such a thing as healthy junk food? What's our go-to snack? Is it junky? Do we think we're on the verge of another healthy eating craze? What's the weirdest junk food we've ever had? (And the worst?) What junk food we thought was dead suddenly rose from the grave, or is still sold in other states/countries? What's the future of junk

You know, there's something about the smooth lines and refined styling of this vehicle that makes me feel that... well, here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors. It's the only way to live. You know. In cars. This week (or more accurately, many many weeks ago), we talked about cars! I will most likely be having to buy yet another car soon, so... relevant episode is relevant! Enjoy!

This is episode 225. Some people would celebrate that. Why? Because humans look for things to memorialize or celebrate. We remember the dates we're born, as well as the dates that will live on in infamy. Good, bad, and everything in between -- if humans can connect something deemed important to a date or passage of time, it seems we will do so. And, to that end, we decided to make August 23, 2017 the first annual Men in Gorilla Suits podcast about anniversaries... * * * We kick it all off talking about cake. Seriously. Our first memories of anniversaries coincidentally involve cake. And then we move on to whether or not work anniversaries mean much to us. Also: find out how long the Gorillamen have been with their wives -- and what we usually do for our anniversaries. We chat a bit about if it's important to recognize anniversaries -- and if birthdays are important to us. Some anniversaries are gloomy affairs; we talk a bit about if those kinds of dates are important to remember. But after the gloom, we move

So the opening audio on this week's classic episode sounds shitty, and I'm not changing it. Why? It's the last thing I recorded in the house in which I lived the longest I've ever lived in one place. I bought a place just down the street, but still... feels fitting to record one last MiGS classic intro there. You know what else we recorded there? This episode about subcultures, three years ago! We spend a lot of time talking about The Gathering of the Juggalos in this episode, which is a harmless subculture, especially compared to the ones we've seen this week. So, yeah. Might as well remember the good old days when our biggest problems were figuring out who would win in a fight: Juggalos or Goths? (The answer to that one should be obvious.)

The American Dream has always been tied very closely to housing. The small house in the suburbs is what we were sold, even though -- for many -- it might be owning an apartment in a large city or off the grid in the middle of nowhere. The dream of owning a home has been exploited, leading to financial crisis -- but it's also been an indicator of financial health when all is well. Entire networks dedicated to house hunting and restoration have popped up on television, and books and magazines (and websites and independent video channels) ensure we can consume our love for real estate any time we want. So it only made sense that we finally talked about buying houses! (Well, that -- and Shawn closed on a house yesterday...and that's been on his mind for more than the last month!) * * * We begin with the first time it hit us that people bought houses. After that, we talk about how old our parents were when they first purchased a house. We also chat about whether or not we've ever set out to purchase a home...and s

Welcome, children. Today we will read from the 47th Psalm of Gorilla. Please open your study bibles to page 3.14159, and have a blessed day. When two guys like Christopher and Shawn talk about religion and don't immediately burst into flames, they've either done something very wrong or very right. As this is one of our most listened-to episodes of all time, we're going to bet on the latter, though that flame-bursting could be around any corner... Enjoy this classic episode!

On the Men in Gorilla Suits website, we have a behind-the-scenes look at our old process for putting the show together. It's a bit dated -- we now have mixers, different recording gear, and a few other things -- but we've been told it helped some people take that first step and record something of their own... There was a time when seeing how things were made was a mystery, but today documentaries, DVD and streaming movie extras, and myriad websites give people a peek behind the curtains of how things are done. But it's not just entertainment -- humans want to know what governments and others are doing behind the scenes. So...we decided this week's show should be about all those things [and more]... * * * We start in the past, with our first memories of information we were originally not privy to, but eventually saw. After that, we talk about how much we enjoy looking behind the scenes of things...and what we think the appeal of those peeks is. If you've listened to a few episodes, you've probably heard us ta

Oh, hello there. Didn't see you come in. You're looking mighty fine in that polyester lesiure suit. Some might say you're out of date or obsolete, but we would never say that. The Gorillamen invite you to come inside, crack open a Zima, and experience the best -- and the worst -- of things that have gone obsolete in this classic episode. Also, Shawn used to vomit Two Dogs Malt Beverage. In spades. Real talk.

Hello, friend, and welcome to your place online where we understand what you're feeling. At Men in Gorilla Suits, we consider why you are the person you are -- even if you're an evil super-villain with a swelling brain ready to wreak telekinetic havok on the masses. We're not saying it's right that you want to act out against society because you were never hugged, but some humans who never had a bit of support in life don't know how to be. There, there, Swelling Itching Brain -- come on in for a group hug and all will be right again... This week, we're talking about empathy... * * * We start as we often do, back when we were younger. Find out the first time we felt something for someone else -- as well as if we consider ourselves empathetic individuals. Also: have we gotten more or less empathetic as we've gotten older? After that, we talk about whether or not the world is harder for empathetic people...before moving on to what the opposite of empathy looks like. Has the Internet made us more [or less] empath

You really piss me off, Jim. Human life is far to precious to waste on crazy stunts! This week's classic episode is all about things that piss Christopher and Shawn off, but, you know, not that much. We're talking about Pet Peeves this week (OK, we talked about them many weeks in the past, whatever). Enjoy this classic episode from the early days of Men in Gorilla Suits, and we'll be back with a new episode next week!

There is design to this page. There is design in most things you interacted with today...probably without your recognition. Whether it's advertising or truly functional user experience; the place you live, or even your thoughts...many people put great effort into influencing others with design. Hell, some people do it all simply for the sake of design. This week, we're all about the D! * * * We begin with our earliest memories of people putting in an extra effort into this thing called design. After that, we chat about how aware we were of the effort put into everyday design. (Shawn's epiphany in and Arby's is rather beautiful!) We chat about whether or not we've designed cool things...and what those things might be. How does design affect mood? We talk about that...as well as how environment and upbringing affect design. We get all hypothetical and chat about if we could be a designer of any sort...what we'd make. Then we talk about our favorite designers and what they've done. How important is technology to

I know what really keeps you up at night. You're wondering, most of all, what two middle-aged white guys think about hip-hop and rap music. There, there. It's all right. Your brilliant and not unattractive gorillamen are here to help, yo. Christopher and Shawn, the two whitest men on the planet, got together to talk about hip-hop, and now you get to hear it all over again. So pour yourself a gin and juice and enjoy this classic Men in Gorilla Suits Episode. Word to your mother.

For the past couple years, Gorillaman Shawn has done another show -- a weekly look at metal bands and their influences called Metal DNA. While Christopher doesn't listen to much music these days, he was once rumored to rock out to Twisted Sister opening for Iron Maiden on Maiden's Powerslave tour in the mid-ish 80s. So it's a bit surprising that it took 220 episodes to talk about METAL!!! And, because it must be shared whenever metal is mentioned, there's this: * * * We kick it off with the first metal songs we ever heard...as well as how we heard the tune (i.e. who got us into metal). After that, we talk about the best -- and worst -- genres and eras of metal for us. We devote a bit of time to our all-time favorite metal bands, and then we jump into our fave metal tunes of all time. Metal fans are a dedicated breed of all kinds of people, but there's definitely a stereotype for metalheads. Do they live up to that stereotype? We chat about that before discussing some metal shows we've seen live. (As well as

In this classic episode, we revisit the far-off land of April 2014, when Shawn was a drone at Microsoft and Christopher was a responsible adult holding down a real job. We get to hear the massive number of jobs the gorillamen have had, revisit their worst jobs, and hear them plug their writing, because that's what they did in the past. Sho' Nuff!

This classic Men in Gorilla Suits episode is about...Death! Guess what? One day, you will die. Shawn will die; Christopher will die. Everybody dies. It's such a cheery little topic, we decided to talk about death this week! We begin by talking about our earliest memories that life one day ends -- and what caused that realization for us. Then we jump to discussing if we've ever been present when somebody has dies...and how it affected us. Death can come slowly or instantly, and the way it hits people can vary. We dedicate some time to that before moving on to a short question: are you afraid to die? Next, we take on the roll of a psychic and predict the ways we think we will die. Keeping the snowball of happiness rolling, we ask each other if we've ever thought about taking our own lives and...if we could find out when and how we will die, would we want to know? As serious as death is, sometimes the way people die is strange...even funny. We talk about some of the stranger and humorous ways we've heard about p