The Chicago Pope just declared a Holy War on AI? Or did he? Could you use religion to get OUT of using AI at work? Will this make Tom & Travis go back to church and take communion again? Listen to find out more!

[And no, we won’t actually tell you how Game 2 ended.]

Pope Leo XIV’s Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

Jacobin’s Take: https://jacobin.com/2026/06/pope-leo-xiv-encyclical-ai-economy

NCR’s Take: https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-leo-calls-disarm-ai-major-document-warns-technologic-threats-humanity

Business Insider’s article on AI religious exemptions: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/she-won-religious-exemption-using-094001949.html

Rowan J. Coleman’s “This is How We Beat AI”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rdSl3CpiCg

The apparent theme song for the holy war against AI: https://open.spotify.com/track/0bUgTRe5st6TMbRCEjKezX?si=5a55298c7968404e

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Wanna know why Tom & Travis couldn't make a new episode last week? It's cause we were worried Tom would get evacuated due to a toxic chemical tank possibly exploding! In this episode, Tom & Travis recaps the bizarre story that made national headlines about a little town close to our home called Garden Grove and all the little anecdotes we heard along the way.

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Travis’ IG: @musicalnotextr

[This episode was recorded in 2025.]

Just as they did with movies and music, Tom & Travis take another stroll through memory lane - this time with video games. Join us as we relive the 90s Nintendo domination, the absurd hype for Halo 3, and neverending juggernauts of Call of Duty and Madden!

CORRECTION:

• 22:10 - GameCube was released in North America in November 2001. But close enough.
• 28:14 - Tom of course meant to say “2005”.
• 32:19 - Chopin’s “Raindrop Prelude” is in D-flat major.
• 1:15:42 - It was Pat Summerall made those jokes, John Madden's longtime play-by-play commentator.

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Travis’ IG: @musicalnotextr

Clips Cited

• CoD: Modern Warfare 2, directed by Jason West, performance by Craig Fairbrass, Activision, 2009.
• “Chris Berman’s..." YouTube, uploaded by firshad, 9/21/2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYXqI7nrV40&ab_channel=firshad.
• “HALO 3 - “Museum of Humanity”....” YouTube, uploaded by USNCDFspartan, 8/14/2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDkradNKaZ4.
• “"his buttcheek is inbounds"...” YouTube, uploaded by Cleveland Browns, 6/24/2024, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uroj1j5X-BU.
• “Kevin Harlan..." YouTube, uploaded by Trending Daily Sports Videos, 12/29/2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxkOG-WeLVo.
• “NFL Funniest Penalties” YouTube, uploaded by Highlight Heaven, 10/20/2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U53V6IPtrqE.
• “the funniest penalty in football” YouTube, uploaded by NFL, 1/20/2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8ro5XuSLj0.

Music Cited

• “At Doom’s Gate” by Mick Gordon (Doom, Bethesda Softworks, 2016)
• “Deference for Darkness” by Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori (Halo 3: ODST, Microsoft Game Studios, 2009)
• “Finish the Fight” by Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori (Halo 3, Microsoft Game Studios, 2007)
• “Heavy Action” by Johnny Pearson (ABC/ESPN Monday Night Football, ABC/ESPN, 1970-present)
• “The Last Spartan” by Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori (Halo 2, Microsoft Game Studios, 2004)
• “Madden Theme” by Aubrey Hodges (Madden NFL mid-200s, EA Sports)
• “MLB on Fox Theme” by NJJ Music (MLB on Fox, 1996-present, Fox/FS1)
• “NFL on Fox Theme” by Scott Schreer (NFL on Fox, 1994-present, Fox)
• “Overture” by Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori (Halo: Reach, Microsoft Game Studios, 2010)
• “Posthumous Zone” by E.S. Posthumous (NFL on CBS, 2003-present, CBS).
• “Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Raindrop)” by Frederic Chopin, 1839.
• “Roundball Rock” by John Tesh (NBA on NBC, 1990-present, NBC/Peacock).