Overview of How Long Gone Episode 989: Chris & Jason
Chris Black and Jason Stewart open with a very travel-heavy catch-up, comparing notes on their respective getaways in rural Colorado and the French Basque coast. The episode mostly centers on food, driving, outdoor activities, and the chaos of attending a destination wedding in Biarritz, while also touching on Chris’s recent GQ departure, upcoming DJ/event plans, and a few pop-culture shoutouts.
Travel, Food, and Outdoor Escapes
Colorado and France as “one day off” vacations
- Jason is in Colorado at Trinchera Reserve, describing the vast protected acreage, fly fishing, wildlife viewing, and outdoor activities like gravel biking.
- Chris is in Biarritz, France, at a hotel with rustic “Chateau Marmont” energy.
- Both frame their trips as making the most of limited time off, leaning into the show’s usual joke that they’re barely ever allowed to rest.
What they crave abroad
- The pair jokes about getting tired of rich local food abroad and craving “regular” food:
- Chris wants Asian food, plain white rice, dumplings, spicy tuna crispy rice, or a simple veggie burger.
- Jason talks about craving “regular” Thai food, pizza, and familiar staples after too much French cuisine.
- They riff on the difference between “special” food and comfort food, especially while traveling.
Driving in Europe
- Jason gives a long, enthusiastic rant about driving in France and Italy:
- He prefers driving in Italy, where aggressive lane etiquette and speed expectations are the norm.
- In France, he feels more relaxed and dominates the road while locals are slower and less assertive.
- He describes a toll-road maneuver where he reversed out of a bad lane to save time, which he treats like a point of pride.
The Biarritz Wedding
Destination wedding with strong vibes
- Chris and Carolyn attend Susan and Andy’s wedding in Biarritz.
- The setting includes:
- A rehearsal dinner at a wine bar in a nearby town
- A wedding venue with beach-town glamour and a beautiful garden
- A late-night party that runs until 2 a.m.
Allison Roman as officiant
- Allison Roman officiates the ceremony and is praised for being funny, sharp, and a strong speaker.
- The ceremony is nonreligious and relatively straightforward, with vows and ring exchange.
Food, drinks, and a very specific guest experience
- The wedding menu includes:
- Pâté, mussels, anchovies, lamb, trout roe, and other French/Spanish-leaning dishes
- A vegetarian-friendly option via a Japanese restaurant next door serving vegan ramen
- The drink service includes:
- Beer and wine throughout the night
- A euphemism-laden discussion of “molly water”
- “Sea spritz” nasal spray, which they treat as a more refined delivery method than the old-school version
- Chris jokes that the seating gifts and name cards were elaborate shell-based sculptures, plus little charm keychains tied to the villa’s property, including a donkey reference.
DJ story and dance floor rescue
- Chris and Alex Chapman DJ the wedding.
- A local French DJ takes over later, and the dance floor starts to fade.
- Susan wants to hear “Dolly Babe – Pink Blush,” a ratchet pop track, so Chris connects via Bluetooth and plays it.
- That song revives the crowd and gets the party back on track.
- Chris and Alex then trade off, with Chris leaning into indie-rock and closing the night.
Chris’s Travel Problems and Small Luxuries
Hotel and rental car logistics
- Chris describes:
- A muddy-brown water issue at a countryside hotel in central France
- A successful room upgrade after Carolyn pushes the hotel
- A surprisingly easy rental car pickup and drop-off system
- He praises diesel efficiency, noting he got about 500 miles on one tank.
Coffee complaints
- Chris is dissatisfied with weak coffee service in Colorado and France.
- He jokes that when ordering an iced coffee, he received a glass that was mostly empty and had to ask for more.
- They both agree that coffee abroad can be disappointing, even when the food and setting are great.
Chris’s GQ Exit and Future Plans
Final “Pulling Weeds” installment
- Chris discusses his departure from GQ and says the final installment of his “Pulling Weeds” column felt oddly perfect.
- He suggests the end of that run had a fitting, almost cinematic quality.
- He’s not bitter, but he makes it clear he was underpaid and that the decision probably came from editorial/PR pressure more than creative dissatisfaction.
What’s next
- He says he has a few meetings lined up and is exploring other places for the work to live.
- He doesn’t confirm a new home for the column, but it sounds like he intends to keep doing it elsewhere.
Other Pop-Culture and Industry Notes
Joe Budden engagement
- They congratulate Joe Budden on getting engaged and mention that his partner is pregnant.
- Jason jokes about Budden’s “girl dad” future and references the kind of songs he plays on the podcast.
Olivia Rodrigo charity mention
- Chris notes that Olivia Rodrigo gave a large donation to charity from her festival proceeds.
Fake NFL-player scam story tease
- Jason briefly mentions a scammer story involving a man pretending to be an NFL player to impress women, which they tease as a future topic.
Announcements and Upcoming Events
The Ghani Awards and live appearances
They close with a run of event announcements:
- The Ghani Awards: September 15 at Racket in New York
- Toronto: September 12
- Los Angeles: September 8 at a hotel, with a public soft opening invite system
- Chris also teases more performers and mentions a flyer coming soon
DJ and brand-related gigs
- Jason/“Them Jeans” mentions:
- A DJ set for the Grindin Coffee Bean / Pusha T and Pharrell coffee launch with Lavazza
- Additional appearances with Cuesto
- He also gives shoutouts to restaurant plans in Dublin, including:
- Note
- Omos, a guest house/restaurant/spa outside town
Tone and Takeaway
- The episode is very loose, funny, and detail-rich, with the hosts leaning into travel complaints, luxury absurdities, and food snobbery.
- The wedding section is the centerpiece: a glamorous destination event with a strong DJ story, a late-night rescue via pop music, and plenty of inside jokes.
- Chris’s career transition adds a slightly more substantive thread, but the overall vibe remains classic How Long Gone: observational, self-aware, and lightly chaotic.