The Nightly

Matt Bragg talks with caller Mike about father-daughter Halloween costume pairings, the economics of trick-or-treating candy, and the surprisingly spooky history of turnip jack-o'-lanterns.What You'll Hear:A Very Expensive Feather: Matt kicks things off with a frantic vet trip, a questionable hairball, and a bill steep enough to rival a nice dinner out.Eevee, Ash, and the Art of the Pairing: Mike shares how he and his seven-year-old daughter plan their matching Halloween costumes months in advance, from Wolverine and X-23 to a very cozy Pokémon duo.The Original, Unsettling Jack-o'-Lantern: Before pumpkins took over, people carved something far creepier, and Matt can't quite get over it.CHAPTERS:00:00 Matt's bloated black cat and Halloween chaos02:03 Welcome, caller Mike!03:17 Eevee, Ash, and family costume themes09:47 Planning months ahead for costume pairings15:53 Pumpkin carving memories and turnip jack-o'-lanterns18:14 Good nights

Greta Johnsen talks with Caller Lauren about turning her wedding dress into a zombie bride costume and planning a Dracula-themed murder mystery for her husband's Halloween birthday.What You'll Hear:Zombie Bride and Groom, COVID Edition: Lauren tells Greta about the Halloween she and her new husband decided to reuse their wedding attire.Six Years, Two Daughters, One Dress: Looking back at those photos now, Lauren reflects on how much simpler Halloween costumes used to be before toddlers entered the picture.Dracula Turns 500: With her husband born on Halloween, Lauren shares plans for the ambitious murder mystery party she's throwing.CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome to The Nightly01:15 Caller Lauren joins us!02:00 The zombie bride and groom plan05:00 Looking back six years later11:21 Planning a Dracula murder mystery18:25 Goodnight Lucy & Marcy!

Matt Bragg talks with caller Alex about her Halloween wedding, two guests in hyper-realistic pigeon heads, and the great debate over what percentage dead is appropriately spooky.What You'll Hear:The 30% Dead Rule: Matt lays out his personal Halloween philosophy, which involves a strict minimum level of decomposition for any costume to count.An Aspen Tree Walks Down the Aisle: Alex describes her Halloween wedding's surprisingly elegant nature theme, plus the eight-foot talking jack-o'-lantern that now guards her front yard.Planning a Spooky First Anniversary: The two try to invent a Halloween-themed version of the traditional paper anniversary, with mixed results.CHAPTERS:00:00 Welcome back, caller Alex01:07 The Halloween wedding reveal03:18 The 30% dead costume rule05:00 Two guests in pigeon heads07:05 The eight-foot jack-o'-lantern from Target13:28 Planning a spooky anniversary

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Kathryn from Wichita, Kansas about her neighborhood's over-the-top Halloween traditions, from giant skeletons and fog machines to buses full of trick-or-treaters pouring in from out of town.What You'll Hear:A Childhood of Tinfoil and Felt: Josh remembers his mom's scrappy homemade costumes, from a cardboard robot to a Where's Waldo win that made him the talk of the block.Halloween Town, USA: Caller Kathryn describes her Wichita neighborhood's wild Halloween scene, complete with bussed-in trick-or-treaters, police blockades, and even a lost kids' station.The Great Candy Count: Kathryn breaks down exactly how many Costco bags it takes to survive an evening of nonstop doorbell rings, and why fun size is the only way to go.CHAPTERS:00:00 Josh's homemade Halloween costumes as a kid03:20 Welcome, caller Kathryn!04:07 A Hocus Pocus-level Halloween block party09:00 The candy situation14:40 A friend's legendary synchronized light show20:12 How to politely sit Halloween out

Greta Johnsen catches up with friend, book critic and crafter Liberty Hardy about the art of bedazzling.What You'll Hear:A Bedazzled Bucket Begins It All: Liberty traces her sparkly obsession back to a cracked drag-show confetti bucket that sat in her house for years before it sparked a whole new hobby.Eighteen Hours, One Neon Dog: Liberty walks through the surprisingly long, strangely meditative process of bedazzling a portrait of Greta's dog Buffy, gem by tiny gem.Permission to Have a Useless Hobby: At 50 years old, Liberty reflects on learning to relax, make things just for fun, and let herself waste time wisely.CHAPTERS:00:00 The inspiration for this week's Sunday Edition01:40 Say hello to bedazzler, Liberty!02:24 How a cracked confetti bucket started it all06:05 The 18-hour sparkle marathon16:16 Permission to have a useless hobby19:52 Goodnight, Buffy!

Greta Johnsen talks with Caller Abbie about giving herself permission to waste time, falling for hobbies she's bad at, and the bedazzled dog portrait that proves a gift doesn't have to be useful to be perfect.What You'll Hear:The Myth of Earned Downtime: Greta and Abbie dig into why rest keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list, and what happens when you stop waiting to deserve it.Bad at Tennis, Great for the Brain: Being genuinely bad at a hobby turns out to be strangely good for you, whether it's pottery, knitting, or a tennis racket nobody should trust you with.A Bedazzled Portrait of Buffy: A surprise package in the mail becomes the gold standard for thoughtful gifts, rhinestones and all.CHAPTERS:00:00 Rethinking productivity and friction01:38 Welcome, Caller Abbie!04:37 Why downtime shouldn't have to be earned08:00 The joy of being bad at a hobby12:50 A bedazzled portrait of Buffy the dog23:01 Good nights

Matt Bragg talks with caller Alejandro about the upright bass, from its car-shopping logistics and toddler-inflicted scratches to its secret role in rock and roll history.What You'll Hear:Oasis Ticket Grumbling: Matt kicks off the night a little salty about missing out on Oasis tickets, though a consolation trip to Vegas softens the blow considerably.Meet the Doghouse, the Bull Fiddle: Alejandro introduces his instrument of choice, the upright bass, and explains why nobody actually starts out wanting to play it.A Life Built Around a Giant Instrument: From buying cars that fit the bass to patching it up after run-ins with his kids, Alejandro walks through what it really takes to live with something nearly seven feet tall.CHAPTERS:00:00 Oasis tickets and a consolation trip to Vegas02:14 Alejandro joins the show03:34 The upright bass's many names07:04 Car shopping for a seven-foot instrument10:00 Scratches, scuffs, and battle scars14:11 Falling for the sound before the instrument18:53 Good night to the upright bass community

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Heather about her elaborate Oscars-night food pun contest, from a falafel crime scene to a rotisserie chicken nun.What You'll Hear:Anatomy of a Falafel: Heather recalls the deconstructed hummus crime scene that launched her into competitive food-pun hosting, sumac blood pooling and all.The Fruitalist Takes Brutalism to the Fruit Bowl: Watermelon staircases, grape waterfalls, and a very opinionated take on architecture carved entirely out of produce.A Low-Stakes Kind of Hosting: Heather explains how a weekly movie night with no pressure and one reliable invitation became the backbone of her little New York community.CHAPTERS:00:00 Missing packed house parties02:22 Heather calls in!04:07 Anatomy of a Falafel 08:02 The Fruitalist 13:24 Frank-n-Dine arrives17:26 The secret to a steady Friday movie night21:56 Good nights!