In this episode of The HLS Podcast, the crew dives fork-first into one of Black culture’s most iconic metaphors: the cookout. But this time, we’re not debating real celebs—we're handing out imaginary plates to cartoon characters, Muppets, and talking animals. From Panthro to Garfield, Moana to Kermit, we explore who really belongs at the cookout… and who brought raisins in the potato salad.

We also break down ChatGPT’s takes on our personalities in animal form (spoiler: one of us is a crowned eagle), talk Sesame Street’s radical roots, and ask why the hell people are still inviting folks who don’t season their food. It’s messy, it’s cultural, and it’s hilarious.

If happiness had a price tag, would you even want to pay it? This week, the fellas are joined by the soulful storyteller BronxNotorious as they dig deep into what it really means to be happy. From billion-dollar hypotheticals to dopamine hits like chess with your kids and Overwatch victories, we unpack the ways happiness hides in plain sight. We talk love, money, parenting, anxiety, legacy, and that quiet terror of losing the good thing you’ve got. Is happiness about avoiding misery, or chasing euphoria? We don’t agree on the answer—but we all agree you should hit play.

Check BronxNotorious out at www.edgarruizjr.com and on IG @eggie79

In this episode, the squad dives face-first into chaos, contracts, and capes. Rebel’s out-of-office, Electrik’s in villain mode, and Scrota’s trading reps for beers. The convo spirals from botched business deals and rich friend etiquette to whether you should ever loan Superman money (spoiler: don’t). They argue over which superpower is the most abuse-worthy, whether origin stories should be banned, and why invincibility is just a trauma response. Also: does being “the oldies” generation hit different when you realize your childhood songs are 30+ years old? Come for the existential dread, stay for the spicy takes on DC vs Marvel, vacation philosophy, and why lending money might be more dangerous than laser vision.