The Santa Clause.

What? That lightweight snowflake? Yup. The ending, where they zoom in on the kid's snowglobe (*SPOILER ALERT*) while his dad goes off to be Santa is the real emotional and satisfying ending. But you just know that they tested that and enough people wanted the kid to go with him that they tacked-on the actual, infuriating ending where he does so. I turn it off early.

Also, I hated the ending to Awakenings because it made me so sad I cried like a baby. But I guess it was a true story and I can't really complain except that I had something in my eye.

Just a point about this podcast: Molly's musical laugh is worth the price of admission. Mark is a lucky guy to be able to inspire that once in a while.

I still find it amazing that nominally intelligent people could believe the ludicrous things they claim to believe about Romney.

We all know that the tampon-banning rumor was a joke, and laugh at those who were taken in by it. Here's the problem: to those people, it wasn't an obviously silly thing, it was all too plausible and fit into their worldview.

How can you oppose people who are so aggressively ignorant?

Toss-up between "Highlander II" and "Fifth Element."

(Yes, I like sci-fi.)

He'll purchase a high-end metal detector and spend his days wandering up and down the beaches of Hawaii helping people find lost items, signing autographs and shouting "You didn't ride that!" at surfers as they hang ten.

When I was a callow youth I worked in a bookstore, and in who should come but Lou Ferrigno! I was tending the till, and he approached with his purchases. "Uh, can I get your autograph?" I mumbled, but as he was paying with a credit card, my fannish request got jumbled and he left me empty handed (except for the slip).

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I have a friend who is a writer in Hollywood, and as a matter of fact my friend worked for some time for Mr. Leno. My friend has nothing (and I mean nothing) but wonderful things to say about him.

My friend is very, very, very liberal, so much so that we find it best to avoid discussing anything political as it simply causes strife. My friend, however, feels that mockery is a terrific way to undermine someone else. When I was concerned about someone my niece was dating, my friend suggested that I use sly mockery as a way to break my niece away from her unworthy swain.

I declined to do so, as I felt it was an underhanded and sneaky attempt to manipulate someone who I could not otherwise convince of the rightness of my opinions.

And, suddenly, I understood the purpose of all those unfunny political jokes my friend had been writing for Mr. Leno for all those years: the purpose wasn't to amuse, it was to mock conservative politicians to the point that it would uncouple the emotional ties people might have formed to them.

"I non-violently sprayed her in the face with paint when she didn't do what I told her to do."

That's some mighty fine free speech right there.

In John 15:5, Jesus said "I am the vine, you are the branches."

Clearly, from this scrap of a fragment of a line on a piece of paper can be spun a headline: "Jesus was a plant!"

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Wow, if finding a scrap of paper that mentions Jesus's wife blows their minds, I don't recommend that the NTY staff read any of the Apocrypha. The story of infant Jesus killing people during tantrums are especially memorable.

Prepare for the debates. The questions will be stacked with untrue assumptions. Gain facility in picking them out of the questions and restating the questions in a more honest way.

I simply have to believe this is a photoshop, and absent other evidence, I'll continue to believe it.

Just wanted to add my voice to those who enjoy this podcast. The way you laugh together and tease one another is charming, and your insights are interesting. Here's looking forward to the next one, whatever number....

I was seven and watched it from inside my homemade space capsule constructed from a card table and blankets.

Just finished listening. This was a great show, the interviews were terrific, enlightening and thought-provoking as always. Well worth the (proposed) price of admission.

I found that the hosts were particularly witty; they reminded me of three teen-aged boys all trying to make the pretty, popular girl (who inexplicably sat at their lunch table) laugh. Well done!