Past Shows
It’s Boxing Day…Whatever that is!
12.26.18 | No need to adjust your screen, this week’s #Focus Group is in vintage black and white. Tim and John share some of their favorite toys and advertising from back in the day. Also, enjoy a couple of recent holiday TV ads that hit a high note.
TFG Unbuttoned: A frequent flyer donates his miles each Christmas to those in need
12.25.18 | Merry Christmas! Tim and John share memories of Christmas and their time in Connecticut. They both like the idea of a business entrepreneur who donates his air miles each year to brighten the holiday for those in need. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Meatloaf edges out filet at the White House, and some holiday cheer
12.19.18 | White House cuisine is different under the current tenant than it was when President Obama was in office—meatloaf and ice cream are now very popular. A KFC Fire Log that smells like fried chicken caught Tim’s eye, Tyson Beckford celebrates his 48th birthday, and fun gifts from Focus Group listeners.
TFG Unbuttoned: Why do retiring politicians call for compassion toward LGBT Americans?
12.18.18 | Retiring Utah Senator Orrin Hatch calls for compromise and respect for LGBTQ Americans in his farewell address. Where were you the last 40 years Orrin? The UK tries to level the broadband fee consumers pay, and Dean Martin returns to the Billboard Hot 100 after almost 50 years with “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.” What’s your favorite Christmas song? Tim and John share some of their favorites.
Advertising on Grindr, and your rights with LGBTQ Lawyer Angela Giampolo
12.12.18 | For South Koreans in need of a break from the demands of everyday life,s a day or two in a faux jail is the escape. Tim shows how to pair holiday cookies with the right wine, and The OUT Law segment with Angela Giampolo looks at a case against Harvard, and comments Grindr’s president made about marriage.
TFG Unbuttoned: Hockey Pucks as a form of Defense?
12.11.18 | One Michigan University has purchased hockey pucks for students and staff to use in case of attack. Does this make sense? Then, men should consider adding color to their wardrobe in order to earn more money and be noticed in the workplace and an IKEA in Italy is “going to the dogs”—in a good way.
A Questionable Naughty and Nice Shopping List
12.05.18 | Who said you can’t say Merry Christmas? The religious right has compiled a list of Naughty and Nice companies based on their use of the word Christmas versus Holiday. Companies get “reason for the season” points for Nativity Scenes and website tabs labeled Christmas. Tim and John agree that they will be supporting more of the naughty companies. Happy Birthday Jesus! But first, John gives Tim a Saint Nick gift, we learn of John’s stint as an Easter Bunny, and a surprise furry shows up on set!
TFG Unbuttoned: A 1940’s classic Christmas tune is being pulled due to its lyrics
12.04.18 | A radio station in Ohio has pulled “Baby It’s Cold Outside” from its lineup after a listener expressed concern over the holiday song’s lyrics. Six volunteers swallowed the heads of LEGO figurines for an unusual study, and Payless Shoes pranked VIP shoppers into paying markups of up to 1,800 percent for the bargain retailer’s shoes as part of a viral advertising campaign.
The cost of living is skyrocketing in these 10 cities
11.28.18 | The Salvation Army denies that they are anti-LGBT in spite of their history—activists have created a voucher you can drop in the bell ringers’ red buckets this holiday season to stand up for LGBTQ rights. Amish farmers are starting to market camel’s milk, a bride in Australia reads out her cheating fiancés texts at the altar, and the list of 10 cities where the cost of living is skyrocketing is surprising.
TFG Unbuttoned: Imagine if you found $7.5 million in cash…
11.27.18 | A researcher in the UK believes the autonomous vehicle will usher in a new mobile venue for the world’s oldest profession. Not so far-fetched, considering 60% of all Americans have had sex in a car. A safe purchased at a storage unit auction was opened to reveal $7.5 million in cash, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade had its first same sex kiss.