Right now, my timeline is filled with people posting photos of cracked beer cans and closed laptops with captions like, “Congrats, friends, we made it to the weekend!” Meanwhile, I’m just getting started on this Friday newsletter. 

This isn’t right, folks. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. 

Hello, by the way. This is Andrew, from the Too Beautiful To Live Podcast. I hope this email finds you well.

It’s my own fault; I got started too late today. But unfortunately, it means that I need to keep this message brief. Because I -- much like the people on my timeline -- enjoy beer and closed laptops on a Friday evening. So here are a few quick things I’d like to share before I kick off my own depraved weekend: 

1) It was a banner week for show pics on tbtl.net. In case you missed them, I’d encourage you to at least check out the Detlef Shrimp art that I dug up for today’s episode. I believe I created this monstrosity about five years ago, but I have no idea why.) 

2) Speaking of show pics, we aren’t any closer to figuring out why Columbo wore this hat in a 1991 episode of his namesake television series. However, a sleuthy-eyed listener over on our Slack channel pointed out that the wardrobe director for that particular episode is still working in Hollywood and might have some answers. So if anyone knows how we can reach Karen Bellamy, please let us know. (If you didn’t hear Tuesday’s episode and don’t know what I’m talking about, please note that we realize the internet thinks it has an answer to this mystery, but we remain dubious.) 

3) A few weeks ago, I was talking to Luke about my childhood obsession with The California Raisins. That conversation reminded Listener Dana that she, too, shared a passion for the soulful fruit snacks. She says, “I thought I’d share this gem (?) from my elementary school art portfolio. Somewhere at my mom’s house, I have a bucket with some of these guys in it. Clearly, I was also a fan.”

4) Everyone on my timeline is now talking about the three (THREE!) games happening right now in the World Baseball Classic, and I’m missing them all. So I only have time for one more bullet point. 

5) This isn’t TBTL-related, but someone shared this with me today, and I thought you might find it interesting: A Scottish musician/artist/designer named Tommy Perman believes we’re living in the the Golden Age of Community Radio, and he’s compiling a list of independent radio stations all over the globe. “It's a directory of awe-inspiring stations across the world that I discovered while promoting an album last year,” he wrote on Bluesky. You can check out his list of stations here.

Okay, I’m going to leave it there for today. I promise* that next week’s newsletter will be much more substantial in both quality and quantity. Meanwhile, if you’d like to be a part of this grand TBTL newsletter tradition, consider filling-out this form and becoming a Ten of the Week! 

Thanks, everybody! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Luke and I will talk to you on Monday. 

-- Andrew

* As decided in the precedent-setting case Readers v. StuBot, the courts have found that any promises made in the main text of a weekly newsletter are not considered binding by law and may be rescinded at any time for any given reason, bogus or otherwise.

#4674 Fifty Shades Of The Gray Lady
Monday, March 2
Luke and Andrew have some ideas on how to fix the internet. And newspapers. They also share the personal videos that they made for each other regarding Luke’s newish Roku. And Luke is about to fight city hall over a parking ticket, and he can’t wait. 

#4675 Kalshi And Chill
Tuesday, March 3
Andrew saw something completely bonkers in a 1991 episode of Columbo, and he’s trying to get to the bottom of it. Luke finds himself placing sports bets on the definitely-not-sports-betting app Kalshi. Luke and Andrew also have important updates on their respective traffic court appeals. 

#4676 Freud, Marry, Kill
Wednesday, March 4
Andrew is concerned about some pickles that he bought, so he does a taste-test on the air. Speaking of taste tests, he and Luke also dissect the viral video of McDonalds’ CEO trying to eat a burger like a normal person. They also discuss going to the bathroom on airplanes and things the bible taught them about wine.  

#4677 Unc Angst
Thursday, March 5
Luke had an emotional and educational experience at the Chicago Art Museum this morning. Andrew is disappointed that his perfectly calculated Bluesky post isn’t going viral. And the Tens of Listeners are bringing sexy back to the Blursdays segment. 

#4678 You Give Me Femur 
Friday, March 5
Genevieve joins the show to discuss her court plans after she learns she was ticketed during Operation Bus Chase. She also explains why she’s so angry about her astrological sign, even though she doesn’t believe in that stuff. Meanwhile, Luke is vibing off of Detlef Schrempf’s Instagram feed, and Andrew learns he might be Baz To The Bone.

This space is reserved for you! If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming TBTL Newsletter, just click here, answer a few fun questions, and you’ll be a podcast newsletter star! 

You can check out prior Tens of the Week in our archives.