Overview of 871. - Chris & Jason
Chris Black and Jason Stewart recap life on the road, a GQ Man of the Year weekend, and miscellaneous pop-culture items in their usual loose, conversational style. The episode mixes red‑carpet behind‑the‑scenes stories (Chateau Marmont, the GQ party), celebrity encounters, travel/hotel mishaps, food and wedding anecdotes, social‑media riffing (Twitter → X, FYP), and recurring comic tangents about fashion, hygiene, and hospitality. Several sponsors are read in full.
Key topics covered
- GQ Man of the Year event: table read, red carpet logistics, and behind‑the‑scenes impressions.
- Chateau Marmont: how the team converted the garage into a live red carpet, Maybach buyout and party details.
- Celebrity interactions: brief chats and impressions of Stephen Colbert, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Aziz, and others; MJ Lenderman’s acoustic moment and Sydney Sweeney “jump‑scare.”
- Music and rumors: gossip about artist pairings and commentary on modern R&B/rap trends (young artists prioritized for look vs. music).
- Fashion/brands discussed: Chrome Hearts, Jim Jones faux‑Chrome product, Chrome Hotel purchase, Fat Farm + Timberlands on Timothée Chalamet.
- Tech + social media: Twitter rebrand to X and algorithm FYP consequences, privacy/embarrassment on flights.
- Travel story: Chris’s Delta upgrade hassle involving air marshals and a successful reconnection via supervisor — a “fail fast / try again” lesson.
- Hospitality etiquette: tipping, $2 bill awkwardness, hotel service tips.
- Personal hygiene / wellness chat: floss sticks vs toothpicks, brushing in the shower, mouthwash and microbiome concerns, hydration (DripDrop).
- Food & events: King restaurant lunch, a standout wedding at the Grill/Lobster Club (great hors d’oeuvres, spicy rigatoni), and airport British food takes.
Main takeaways
- Live production can pivot fast: the Chateau Marmont team flipped a garage into a red carpet with full AV in 12 hours — impressive event logistics.
- Be persistent when service reps aren’t solving a problem: hang up and call again to reach someone who can actually help (Chris’s Delta experience).
- Public device use has new pitfalls: social platforms (FYP algorithms) can surface sensitive content; be mindful on airplanes/laptops.
- Celebrity interviews on the red carpet often look easy but veteran hosts (late‑night folks like Colbert) are pros — they run circles around casual interviewers.
- Small gestures and manners still matter: tipping hotel staff appropriately is appreciated; be respectful and honest if you can’t tip big.
Notable anecdotes & quotes
- On the writer’s room feeling official: “We had a three‑ring binder with our name on it… it felt official.”
- Mitt Romney reference: “Binders full of women” (hosts riff on the origin — Mitt Romney, 2012).
- On hotel/party production: “They cleared this out in 12 hours… it was really impressive.”
- Delta customer service lesson: “Fail fast. Hang up. Try again.”
- On modern artists: a recurring joke that many current stars are “cool looking” first, music second.
- Sydney Sweeney cameo gag: listeners thought she was outside the window during MJ Lenderman’s acoustic set (a funny “jump‑scare” detail).
- On public hygiene quirks: long riff about floss sticks vs. toothpicks and where one should brush their teeth.
People & names mentioned (high level)
- Celebrities/interviewees: Stephen Colbert, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Aziz, MJ Lenderman, Sydney Sweeney, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Kendall/Hailey/Justin Bieber (brief mentions).
- Asian pop notes: discussion of Kun/Kuhn (NCT/WayV member) and fan fervor.
- Fashion/music names brought up in gossip: Jim Jones, Chrome Hearts, Timothée Chalamet, references to younger rappers/R&B artists.
- Event hosts/partners: GQ (Man of the Year), Chateau Marmont, Goop (Maybach dinner mentioned).
Sponsors & promo codes (read in episode)
- Squarespace — squarespace.com/howlong (10% off with code howlongsquarespace)
- Skims — skims men (podcast selection in post‑order survey requested)
- DripDrop — dripdrop.com, promo code HOWLONG for 20% off first order
- BetterHelp — betterhelp.com/howlong for 10% off first month
Practical tips & action items
- If an airline rep isn’t helping, hang up and call again — a different agent/supervisor can sometimes fix what the first cannot.
- When tipping hotel staff: aim for $5+ for small services; leave $20–$40 for housekeeping for longer stays. $2 bills are better than nothing but may be awkward.
- Be cautious with public screens: if your social feed tends to surface sensitive or explicit content, avoid opening it on flights or in public.
- If you want a clean, simple site for selling content or building a portfolio, consider Squarespace (as promoted).
- For hydration and electrolytes, the hosts recommend DripDrop (promo provided).
Final notes
This episode is conversational and anecdotal — more about impressions, gossip and travel stories than news or analysis. If you want the behind‑the‑scenes texture of celebrity parties, event logistics, and the hosts’ personalities (and sponsor plugs), this episode delivers.