Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants
Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants is an audio podcast that began in 2018, hosted by Jordan Cooper and Dave Fox.
The podcasters have stated "in addition to critique, the podcast aims to be a scholarly and intensely researched documentary on TMBG's entire career, yet with a large emphasis on humor and the friendship between the two hosts." Each episode typically focuses on a They Might Be Giants release in chronological order, with multiple episodes to cover each album and their subsequent B-sides, remixes and demos. Recurring "Grab Bag" episodes cover unreleased and rare TMBG songs. The podcast has also had interview episodes with Bill Krauss, Brian Doherty, Joshua Fried and other TMBG collaborators.
In addition to personal fandom anecdotes, discussions primarily revolve around both factual and theoretical insights on the songs, especially examining the cultural references that are often obliquely embedded in TMBG's music and lyrics. The show frequently utilizes audio clips culled from archived live shows and interviews, relevant to the discussions in each episode. Topics are often brought back and revised in later episodes as more information is found through further research.
Additional segments include "Letterbox", which are responses to listener emails, and "Unrelated Thing", covering non-TMBG media. TMBG news and updates are also brought up as they happen at the start of episodes.
In 2020, Dave and Jordan began posting segments of the podcast on YouTube, with images and video relevant to each episode, including video clips. In early 2024, the podcast launched a Patreon with bonus content.
Episodes[edit]
| # | Episode Title | Special Guests | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | That's How The Snowball Started | Dec 7, 2018 | |
| 2 | THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - Side 1: The Line Dividing Laugh and Scream | Dec 14, 2018 | |
| 3 | THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS - Side 2: Happiness Bled | Dec 19, 2018 | |
| 4 | Super Holiday World | Dec 25, 2018 | |
| 5 | LINCOLN - Part 1: The Edge of Hearing | Jan 9, 2019 | |
| 6 | LINCOLN - Part 2: Our Only Home Is Bone | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 7 | LINCOLN - Part 3: Love Is Sad | Jan 28, 2019 | |
| 8 | LINCOLN Wrap-Down: The Kind That Never Fades Away | Feb 8, 2019 | |
| 9 | Interview with Joshua Fried! Pt. 1 | Joshua Fried | Feb 28, 2019 |
| 10 | Interview with Joshua Fried! Pt. 2 | Joshua Fried | Mar 7, 2019 |
| 11 | MISCELLANEOUS T - Part 1: The Tiny Lights Shines Twice As Bright | Mar 22, 2019 | |
| 12 | MISCELLANEOUS T - Part 2: The Sweetest Spot | Mar 29, 2019 | |
| 13 | MISCELLANEOUS T - Part 3: Flowers Die And So Will I | Apr 11, 2019 | |
| 14 | MISCELLANEOUS T Wrap-Down: I'll Find Your Answering Machine | Apr 24, 2019 | |
| 15 | Interview with Julie Kantner from The Turtlenecks! | Julie Kantner | May 3, 2019 |
| 16 | THEN: THE EARLIER YEARS DISC 1: Don't Remind Me Of Yesterday | Jun 3, 2019 | |
| 17 | THEN: THE EARLIER YEARS: Disc 2: Hip Hip Horrific Is Our Thing | Jun 24, 2019 | |
| 18 | Interview with Bill Krauss! | Bill Krauss | Jul 18, 2019 |
| 19 | GRAB BAG #1: TMB Songs | Bill Krauss | Aug 21, 2019 |
| 20 | FLOOD - Part 1: Bluebird of Friendliness | Oct 2, 2019 | |
| 21 | FLOOD - Part 2: Dancing On The Casket | Oct 9, 2019 | |
| 22 | FLOOD - Part 3: Nobody Knows, Particle Man | Nov 16, 2019 | |
| 23 | FLOOD - Part 4: Wrong Ideas That Appeal To You | Jan 9, 2020 | |
| 24 | FLOOD - Part 5: River Becomes An Ocean | Jan 25, 2020 | |
| 25 | FLOOD - Part 6: The Things We Cherish Are Small Indeed | Feb 4, 2020 | |
| 26 | FLOOD Wrap-Down: Then That Phone Rang Off The Hook | Feb 10, 2020 | |
| 27 | Interview with Brian Doherty! Pt. 1 | Brian Doherty | Feb 15, 2020 |
| 28 | Interview with Brian Doherty! Pt. 2 | Brian Doherty | Feb 22, 2020 |
| 29 | Bowery Ballroom, 2/8/2020 - We're Only Here To Judge | Kristen & Krissy (Jordan & Dave's partners) | Mar 10, 2020 |
| 30 | Interview with Gary Ray, owner of Darinka! | Gary Ray | Apr 29, 2020 |
| 31 | Scream As If You're In Hell - TMBG Live in the 80s! | Jul 27, 2020 | |
| 32 | GRAB BAG #2: People With Thoughtful Opinions | Sep 13, 2020 | |
| 33 | APOLLO 18 - Part 1: Words Fail | Edward Douglas (engineer) | Dec 31, 2020 |
| 34 | APOLLO 18 - Part 2: Your Turn To Burn | Edward Douglas | Jan 15, 2021 |
| 35 | APOLLO 18 - Part 3: I Don't Want A Bean | Laura Cantrell & Edward Douglas | Feb 1, 2021 |
| 36 | APOLLO 18 - Part 4: All Dressed In Black | Edward Douglas | Mar 10, 2021 |
| 37 | APOLLO 18 - Part 5: I Heard A Sound | Peter Stampfel, Elma Mayer & Edward Douglas | Jul 3, 2021 |
| 38 | APOLLO 18 - Part 6: I Will Leave And I'll Return | Laura Cantrell | Jul 28, 2021 |
| 39 | APOLLO 18 Wrap-Down: One Door Shut, Another Door Closes | Sep 8, 2021 | |
| 40 | Interview with Kurt Hoffman! | Kurt Hoffman | Sep 28, 2021 |
| 41 | BOOK Release Party! | Nov 10, 2021 | |
| 42 | Letterbox Special! Volume 1 | Nov 22, 2021 | |
| 43 | Interview with Laura Cantrell! | Laura Cantrell | Dec 10, 2021 |
| 44 | Pass the Dude, Stump the Band: TMBG Live 1990-1992 | Feb 23, 2022 | |
| 45 | Interview with TMBG drummer Jonathan Feinberg! | Jonathan Feinberg | Mar 10, 2022 |
| 46 | WHY DOES THE SUN SHINE? EP: Spy vs. Spy | May 10, 2022 | |
| 47 | JOHN HENRY - Part 1: Now I'm Where A Snail Has To Be | Scarlet Kim (child model) | Jul 22, 2022 |
| 48 | JOHN HENRY - Part 2: Unconnected And Free | Jay Sherman-Godfrey | Aug 11, 2022 |
| 49 | JOHN HENRY - Part 3: You Will Never Understand Me | Jay Sherman-Godfrey | Oct 2, 2022 |
| 50 | JOHN HENRY - Part 4: O, Do Not Forsake Me with Wilbur Pauley! | Wilbur Pauley | Oct 27, 2022 |
| 51 | JOHN HENRY - Part 5: They've Got Plans For Everyone | Steven Bernstein | Dec 22, 2022 |
| 52 | JOHN HENRY - Part 6: It's Totally Over Now | Jay Sherman-Godfrey & Steven Bernstein | Feb 23, 2023 |
| 53 | JOHN HENRY - Part 7: You're Already Dead | Apr 30, 2023 | |
| 54 | JOHN HENRY Wrap-Down: Wreck It Apart | Jun 18, 2023 | |
| 55 | Interview with I MIGHT BE GIANT, TOO songwriter Peter Stewart! | Peter Stewart | Jul 1, 2023 |
| 56 | Letterbox Special 2: How To Age Gracefully | Sep 6, 2023 | |
| 57 | Interview with People Magazine's Michael Small! | Michael Small (journalist) | Nov 4, 2023 |
| 58 | Impossibly News - The Latest on TMBG and We | Dec 18, 2023 | |
| 59 | 80s Demos - Part 1: I'm Already Dead | Margaret Seiler | Feb 24, 2024 |
| 60 | 80s Demos - Part 2: At Least Your Dog Is Free | Mar 21, 2024 | |
| 61 | 80s Demos - Part 3: Welcome To Hell Hotel | Apr 29, 2024 | |
| 62 | Interview with "Weird Al" Yankovic! | "Weird Al" Yankovic | Jun 8, 2024 |
