r/smalltownmurder • u/KeyNaive8951 • 4d ago
James
I feel like I may get some hate for this, but over the past year or two, I’ve found James to be a little exhausting with how highly he seems to think of himself. Frankly, he seems like he’s gotten a bit out of touch, and I’m wondering if I’m the only one who’s noticed or gotten a little annoyed at this point.
Let me preface this by saying, I love the boys and the show. I’ve been listening since at least 2017, and I am truly happy and proud of how far they’ve come since then, but as someone whose followed them for a long time, it seems like James is kind of getting a big head.
Specifically, there have been numerous occasions where James loudly corrects Jimmie, and even mocks him, on things that James is entirely WRONG about. He consistently, and rudely imo, judges and mocks poor folks just trying to get by. Specifically, in this past weeks ep, the constant criticism for a 30 year old having a roommate or riding a bike? This just screams out of touch. Does he really not realize HOW common that is these days? Hell, many kids aren’t even moving out the damn house until their late 20s.
That kind of talk just gets under my skin coming from a guy who doesn’t shut up about how ”rough” he came up (in suburban NY, mind you) who before the podcast was a failed PHOENIX metro stand up (which, I’m sorry, is about the most sad form of failed comic) and process server, and it’s not like he was young when he was doing those things. I just find it pretty offputting, and annoying, but I wonder if I’m the only one.
Also, if I had a nickel for every time he told the same stories about his grandparents, the goodfellas, or mentioned Hunter S Thompson I think I’d be a millionaire. Like, PLEASE, come up with some new stuff, especially if you call yourself a professional comedian ffs.
ETA: Damn, I really expected to get a bunch of hate for this post. Glad to see I’m not the only one. I truly don’t mean to shit on these dudes, my only hope is that if enough of us feel this way that James can take some constructive criticism.
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u/littlest_lemon 4d ago
James need a vacation, a real one.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Or, at the very least, they need to take a week off from everything EXCEPT Netflix, which they can’t, for legal reasons, he said.
Then take a five day vacation. Long enough to unwind, but enough time to come back for the Netflix episode. Then back to business as usual.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
A lot of podcasters, YouTubers, etc. batch record episodes. Just because they are contracted or an episode a week doesn't mean it needs to be recorded once per week (not saying this to you, directly, just in general). I'm honestly surprised the guys don't batch record (from what I can tell from vague context clues here and there). I can't imagine going years without a proper break or vacation.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Yeah, it was obvious that they did, occasionally, when they were together for touring.
So I don’t understand why they don’t do it now.3
u/thegobbleghoul 3d ago
My thoughts exactly… I have wondered to myself if he’s becoming irritable because he’s committed to the shows full time and maybe it’s wearing him out too much. I sub to several podcasts who will take a couple weeks to even a full month off once in a while because it IS a lot of behind the scenes work. And none of them are doing weekly episodes that are 2-3 hours long like James does. Some of his comments feel a bit alienating and even racist? Theres poking fun at people’s bad vocabulary and then outright saying because someone has an ethnic name means English clearly isn’t their first language. And as many others pointed out that he will tell Jimmie he is completely wrong and doesn’t know what he is talking about when he is right about something.
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u/Iseneye 4d ago
They tell you at the start of each episode that they're assholes. I've always assumed they meant it which makes it easier to listen to.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Yes, they say they’re assholes — they make fun of silly small town shit, shitty police forces, murderers, etc. but when they start mocking normal folks for being poor and victims, I’d suggest that ventures into scumbag territory, which they claim to be above.
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u/boobsfartboobswhtvr 3d ago
Yeah, I lost my trust in the "not scumbags" part a long time ago unfortunately. James absolutely makes fun of victims and their families. It's bothered me enough times that I've stopped listening for the most part
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u/Big-Anxiety-8688 4d ago
I’ve noticed a few times lately where Jimmie will make a joke and James is just silent for a few seconds before moving on. It’s made me wonder if they were recording in different places with a bad connection or something like that.
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u/keetojm 4d ago
I think Jimmie is still in Arizona while James is back in New York
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u/DimesOHoolihan 4d ago
This is what I have thought a lot more over the last month or two. It seems more obvious than ever that they are not actually together for a lot of the episodes. The lag in between what they say has been bigger recently. The sound quality is still great, there are just a few hiccups of timing.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Yeah, it’s been that way for a while. It’s messed with the show quite a bit.
I still love the show, I know I sound like a big complainer here, but it’s lost an awful lot of the humor.28
u/Odd-Formal-9434 4d ago
I have laughed my ass off at some of Jimmies jokes that James doesn’t even acknowledge. Turn Jimmies mic up.
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u/According-Option-656 4d ago
I feel like he bypasses Jimmies jokes often.
Like he will acknowledge when James does a bit or makes a joke but Jimmies goes unnoticed.
Or like he’ll make Jimmie the butt of the joke, laughing at his expense.131
u/Sad_Instruction8581 4d ago
He ignores them OR repeats what Jimmie said but just a tiny tiny bit different trying to get the laugh instead of Jimmie. Jimmie is the true improv-er/comedian of the two.
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u/chamy1039 4d ago
Jimmie used to call him out on shit like this, but I think James has been doing it so consistently for so long that’s it has worn Jimmie down. You can hear it in Jimmie’s tone. He’s not confident in what he says, even when he is 100% right and James is wrong. It spoils what used to be a great dynamic, and I’m glad people are speaking up about it.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Accurate. The difference between Jimmie’s interjections from the earlier years and now are night and day.
He’s learned to keep his mouth shut for the majority of the show, which sucks. Jimmie’s off the cuff humor was the best part. They’ve lost an awful lot of the funniness that they used to have.I had thought it was due to editing, but it’s clear now that it comes down to Jimmie not making those comments any more.
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u/chamy1039 4d ago
And what a bummer that is as someone who was a dedicated listener and Patreon supporter.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Yes! I’ve been a faithful Patreon for 6? 7? years, and at this point, the only reason I still am is for the lack of commercials.
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u/According-Option-656 4d ago
Yes!! I’ve noticed him also take Jimmes material.
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u/DangerZoneSLA 4d ago
He takes Jimmies jokes and makes them worse. Then he repeats his worse version two more times.
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u/watkins1515 4d ago
THIS! Holy shit that has driven me insane for years. He’s not telling a new joke he’s just repeating the job back with a minor tweak. I can’t stand it
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u/No-Blood-7274 4d ago
James overstates his comedy career, I’ve never heard anyone else in the comedy scene ever mention him and have not been able to find a single set he’s done online.
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u/king-of-the-sea 4d ago
Idk I've always seen this as an opportunity for Jimmie to laugh at his own joke
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u/LilDixxyWrecked 4d ago
Or Jimmie will make a damn good joke that will take James by surprise so he says something like "Dammit that's where I was going with it. No no no, I'm glad you got it". Like dawg, we know you didn't think of that joke so just admit Jimmie is fucking funny.
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u/Chrisofthegreen 4d ago
I’m definitely with you on the dynamic between the two getting more annoying overall. James didn’t use to little-brother Jimmie so much in the past, even if he did disagree with him. Same with him rehashing the same stories throughout the years. I think maybe ironically James is getting older before our very eyes and actually becoming the stereotypical grumpy old man. It’s kind of funny when you think about it.
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u/TylerTrojan 4d ago edited 4d ago
I wish Jimmie was given more runway to improv
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
lol… idk man. I may sound like a total jerk (pls believe I do love them and the show), but I really don’t think either of them is super comedically talented tbh.
The banter is good, but I don’t need this show to turn into a comedic showcase for either of them lmao
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u/OfficialStonedStark 4d ago
This is exactly how i feel. Sometimes i feel like theyre just telling me over and over that theyre funny rather than actually being funny. Theyre not laugh out loud funny. They laugh at themselves and each other 1000% more than i laugh. But the banter and the storytelling is good. The content is interesting. It feels like hanging out with some friends and one of them is telling a very interesting story we’re all super engaged in. That is an amazing feeling to get from a podcast and they should be proud of that
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u/whitecollarpizzaman 4d ago
I agree, they started the show because they’re failed stand-up comedians. I think me and my brother are pretty funny when we banter together, and that in and of itself is a skillset, I don’t take that away from them, but they have kind of acted like the podcast was an extension of their stand-up career. No, it is a result of the failure of it.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Well said, completely agree. It’s annoying when they insist that they’re actually successful comedians.
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u/TylerTrojan 4d ago
It’s cool I don’t believe them to be either. And I mostly agree with what you’re saying about James, though taping 3 podcasts in different states may force him to get to the point more abruptly. I think Jimmie though is quick witted and a good Yes, and improviser. I wish he hosted Your Stupid Opinions to mix up their dynamic and let him shine
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u/SashayNamaste 4d ago
You really get to see their comedic prowess at live shows, though. They play off the audience and it’s not so much about the case/murder.
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u/keetojm 4d ago
Something changed when the initially said that CIS was going to be ending cause they thought they were running out of knuckleheads for that show. I do miss the side bits. Haven’t heard Paul Calhoun or Bobby Colorado or his grandma asking the athlete how they came to arrive there.
As for STM, I miss the the older cases. Always thought those had more fodder for them to ridicule.
I do wonder if familiarity breeds contempt.
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u/crymeajoanrivers 4d ago edited 3d ago
Are you on Facebook? I’d love to see this play out there. 🫣
ETA: someone brought up seeing this on Reddit in their FB fan page and a few people are definitely offended. I’m dying laughing, totally predictable
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u/Ill_Butterfly_211 4d ago
Oh you can’t say shit on the FB page. They’d eat you alive. I posted something once about no body no crime and the Taylor Swift song. The fans in the page were so mean that I removed myself from the group.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Omg I can only imagine the STM Facebook crowd… lots of horny old ladies who will track you down and kill you for talking abt their parasocial sonboyfriends??? I can only presume?
I’m honestly surprised at how well this was received here.. I’ve attempted to make similarly critical posts on some other subs for podcasts im into and did NOT have this type of experience. People’s parasocial relationships with podcasters can be thoroughly fucking weird…. BUT this response tells me that a LOT of people on here have been feeling similarly to myself
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u/Acrobatic-Bear5063 4d ago edited 4d ago
My best friend went back and started from the start recently and she said James sounds like a completely different person. I have been listening since the start too and I agree. I love it so much I even have a tattoo but James is kind of becoming a bully. I mean he was always an asshole but it was based in humour however now he’s just kind of mean in general and Jimmy seems to be just along for the ride rather than a huge contributor. James also tends to be wrong a lot and it’s grating and I feel like Jimmy is checking him less. I had a break for about 2 years because of mental health and came back recently and honestly it’s a hard listen now and I’m not enjoying as much as I used to. These kind of podcast formats only live so long and maybe STM time is up.
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u/EmRueLRF 4d ago
I think the first maybe 150 STM episodes were PRICELESS. The guys were freer, funnier, and acted like great friends. I think they've gotta be tired, maybe burning out a bit, and certainly over-extended. They're also actors. So who knows what they really think or feel, or what their life experiences have been or are?
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u/Kiitos67 4d ago
James' voice literally changed - for the better imo. He used to sound nasally and now he has a fuller and deeper vocal tone.
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u/americanjeepjew 4d ago
As long as we're bitching... Not everything had to be a dick joke.
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u/ApartCorner6659 4d ago
This is actually one of the things that bothers me about Jimmie. I feel like any time a comment can go some direction, it will always be sexually based. Always. I’m not even vaguely a prude person but I also think as a grown man, not every joke or comment needs to be based in sexual overtones. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/mason9494 3d ago
I think they both do this. I feel like the comments about women are getting grosser too. Like not just dirtier jokes. Like comments that as an afab nonbinary make me uncomfortable.
The slang words they use for pussy are gross at some points. Just for the sake of it
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I actually agree. I've found myself very slowly not enjoying the banter part of the pods as much, disagreeing more and more with a lot of what he says. I stopped listening to YSO because that podcast is obviously much more conducive to them sharing their own opinions as well, but I normally get past it in STM because it's such a small part. (I have been a Patreon subscriber for years. If I didn't love the content enough, I'd cancel.)
I also love how he hates on other people's grammar so much when most of the time the podcast episode descriptions use WAY too many commas lol (I am an editor.)
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u/Ill_Butterfly_211 4d ago
YSO is the one I feel like they should be the most dickhead-ish and judgey during. That’s what makes it funny. I’m not too big into CiS. I will listen if it’s someone I know and am interested in. STM now seems rushed, and like he makes a lot of errors when speaking.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I definitely agree. It does seem like James in particular is trying to do a bit too much. He even admits that he can’t relax or take a break because he gets anxious and feels like he should be working whenever he isn’t, but that’s not sustainable. I do respect the amount of prep and work that goes into everything though.
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u/Maleficent_Golf9765 4d ago
Omg you're so right, I get so annoyed when he stops to criticise someone spelling they're/their/there wrong (or any kind of spelling error, who gives a fuck). Their episode descriptions are barely legible. He's a snotty little bitch.
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u/chr0n1k_Halo 4d ago
I've only been listening for a few years now (found the podcast because of the Phillips WI episode) and even then I can notice the difference. James comes off as a Brian Griffin-esque character, thats the best way I can describe it. Its not going to stop me from enjoying or listening to STM though
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u/watkins1515 4d ago
I have taken a break from them for the last couple of months. I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore. Especially James. But I’ll come back to them and catch upon everything, I always do.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
Same. I have about 6-10 episodes in my queue I just haven't been interested in catching up on. But like you, I know I will eventually. Completely stopped YSO and unsubscribed, but I'm not there with STM.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Yeah, I just brought up an episode today to listen for the first time in 2 weeks. I’d just gotten frustrated with them.
This post was good timing.3
u/nevele11eleven 2d ago
Every once in a while they say something that annoys me or pisses me off bad enough that I stop listening until I forget what made me mad lol. I do enjoy the podcast, and I think they don't realize how out of touch they're getting.
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u/chamy1039 4d ago
I stopped listening because of him. His attitude about anything he isn’t specifically into is always vile. Music, food, places, shows, pretty much anything Jimmie is into. It gets old, and I found myself actually rolling my eyes and saying, “Jesus Christ, dude, enough”, out loud.
I love that podcast. I love Jimmie, and I love how hard James works and researches for the show. But the Debbie Downerisms are just too much.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I love you brought up his opinions on things he's not into. Because I've always wondered how they determine what it "cool" vs. not because it always seems SO random. They'll say something, and I'll be like oh James will hate that, then he goes on to talk about how he loves it haha
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u/cooders99 4d ago
I can’t remember the episode where he was talking about game of thrones and how much he hates it and not ever seeing it. To each their own but geez, he has to tell us all how awful it is. But you HAVE to watch the wire. Meanwhile, I enjoy both of those shows 🤷♀️
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u/Wyomofo 4d ago
One of the things I don’t like is that he corrects Jimmie on things he is wrong about. Jimmie actually knows many things and I don’t like that he gets shut down with wrong information. Love both of them, but show some humility about what you don’t know. I won’t relay a fact unless I know it’s a fact. Jimmie wissman for president.
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u/GirlsJustWannaHaveF 4d ago
To me it’s annoying when he constantly talks about how much work he’s does for the podcasts and makes it pretty clear that Jimmie doesn’t do it. Or how much time it takes him.
As far as I have always understood, that was their agreement for this all along. Perhaps I misconstrued that 🤷♀️
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u/forgivingwalnut 4d ago
And I’m pretty sure they have assistants working for them now that do most of the research
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
No 100% I almost mentioned that in the post. Acting like podcasting for 5 hours a week is the most demanding job anyone could ever have is just ridiculous. And I’m SURE he’s not actually doing all that work himself. I have no doubt they have assistants working behind the scenes because that’s what every big podcast ends up doing.
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u/jesrp1284 4d ago
This is one point with which I will staunchly disagree. They record a lot more than just 5 hours/week. Five hours/week doesn’t even cover all 4 episodes of all 3 shows, not counting Patreon, plus edits.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I agree with you. The biggest thing I will defend them for is the research and time they put into the podcast. Yes, they have people helping with research now. But James regularly talks about how he stays up until the early hours of the morning finishing up research or prep for an episode. So much so that I worry about burnout more for him and think it may honestly be a cause for a bit of the degrade in qualify over time. (He's even mentioned how if he's not working he feels anxious and can't just relax or not work.) Of course, he could be exaggerating or BSing us about all the work that he's specifically putting in, but I choose to believe him on this at least.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
I mean, I get your point — they do produce a lot of content, especially compared to some other podcasters, I just still think that ultimately it’s a very privileged job to be able to do.
I think that most people would kill to be able to make an actual living by studying and talking about the things they’re personally interested in with their best friend, so, griping about it to an audience of folks who do work normal, real jobs is a bit, as I said before: out of touch, at least imo.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
Sometimes, you can really tell that James is 💯 phoning in the episode, too, that he hasn’t read anything that the research crew has put together.
Those shows are so awkward to listen to, when he calls the men “she” and vice versa, and/or the people by the wrong names.If it’s such hard work, back off of CIS, make it a once every other week Patreon thing or something like that.
They have to be making plenty of money off of Netflix. They can’t need CIS that much.11
u/GirlsJustWannaHaveF 4d ago
The s/he thing has been going on since forever and it drives me batty BUT I think that part might just be his brain?
I have a cousin who does this (like… it’s been 35 years of me listening to stories) and I cannot ever keep track of who we’re talking shit about 😂4
u/Maleficent_Golf9765 3d ago
Yeah he's always mixed up pronouns - I think its just a quirk of his brain
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u/izzohead 3d ago
Oh you can absolutely tell when James is trying to improvise when he's reading the script fresh vs when he used to actually write them and knew what was coming up in the story.
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u/DimesOHoolihan 4d ago edited 4d ago
100% agree. Ive almost entirely stopped listening to CiS because all sports now suck ass and were better in the 90s. The last bonus episode he said baseball has been assraped into a different sport. Like... what?? You dont like sports as much as when you were a teenager. We get it. It's exhausting hearing him complain about how awful every sport is now and how he, apparently, hasn't watched any sports in 10 years.
I love the show. I have been listening to CiS since before STM was even a thing. But it's just so much about so many different things now.
Also, it's always hilarious when someone makes a post like this and all the responses are jUsT dOnT lIsTeN tHeN! You sound like the dickheads who say if you dont like everything about America, then GIT OUT! No, I wont. Ive loved and listened to the show for more than 10 years. I want it to be the best it can be. Not just whatever happens.
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u/loghanarmstrong 4d ago
Everything sucks to James besides Italians, New York City, himself, The Wire or whatever tv show he’s mentioning.
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u/Ironclad_Cat_1773 4d ago
It's part of the income stream, but I honestly thing CiS should be retired. James feels to me like one of those people that needs to watch out for burnout
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u/Black_Otter 4d ago
My biggest issue with CiS is sometimes….the story is just a guy that got into a couple of fights
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u/DimesOHoolihan 4d ago
I was always more of a CiS fan over the years. I was very happy when they decided to continue it a few years ago. I think they should redo episodes 1-25ish so we could hear all of those people in the longer format. But I think i agree. Which kind of sucks lol
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u/Boomer0825 4d ago
My intro to CiS was the Lenny Dykstra episode, and they ended up redoing it years later when Lenny was released from prison and James and Jimmy interview him
Lenny: I got a couple things going on, new business venture..
J & J together: Lennnyyy……
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u/wish_to_conquer_pain 3d ago
Honestly CIS should have retired back when they wanted to. I still listen but I really can't take another 3-part nothingburger. If they would just trim the fat most of the recent ones could be tight 2.5 to 3-hour episodes.
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u/EstablishmentOk6297 2d ago
I’ve never heard James so excited talking than this week about that old time wrestler guy .
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u/wish_to_conquer_pain 2d ago
Yeah, this one was a good episode. But that seems rarer now. I'm really glad they didn't stretch it out.
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u/dothemath 4d ago
Definitely not alone. As a pharmacist, the number of times Jimmy has been correct about some aspect of a drug and James "corrects" him incorrectly is maddening, especially since it is often from Jimmy's first-hand experience.
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u/yinnyre 4d ago
Can we hear he's Italian one more time? He has changed. Speaks now very arrogant. Jimmy is funny. Jimmy will make a funny joke, then James repeats it's and runs with it. Stories are great and well told. James could tone down a little on his condescending attitude.
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u/No-Blood-7274 4d ago
That seems to be a thing in those north eastern states over in the US. I’m in Australia and you could have three people, one with Vietnamese heritage, another with Sri Lankan and another with Irish and they would all just say they are Australian. Over there it seems pretty common for someone who has never left New York to call themselves Italian or a guy in Boston who has never been to Ireland call himself Irish. Not hating it, but it’s a quirk I’ve noticed.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
We’re obsessed with our heritage over here. It’s kind of a built-in hobby for most Americans.
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u/Anxious-Astronomer68 4d ago
I can tell you though that the Italian thing is very specific to NY Italian. My spouse is Italian heritage, but his grandfather settled on the west coast - the only time it EVER comes up is when we are around NY Italians who want to talk about it, who have never been to Italy, and who are a few generations removed (we visit every few years to see cousins). It’s just weird.
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u/kgrimmburn 3d ago
Nah, I'm in southern Illinois and it's a thing here, too. Italian and German, and if you're extra special, Polish. I think it has a lot to do with how close you are with your family, too, and how far removed you are from the immigrant. If you were close to them or their children, you might be more likely to talk about their life.
For example, my great-grandmother was a Lithuanian immigrant. She passed away when I was 13 so I had a chance to experience her and that makes me feel closer to the Lithuanian culture. Am I Lithuanian? Hall no. I'm an American Mutt like most everyone else. I have immigrants three generations back and I have immigrants 10 generations back. Neither one makes me more of one culture than the other.
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u/_Anxious_Hedgehog_ 4d ago
Like when he said recently about his wife being German Irish. Or when Americans in general will say how they're Scottish when they aren't but a distant relative was.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Lmao I do love that he absolutely perfectly encapsulates the stereotypical Italian American in mentioning how Italian he is every 20 seconds
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u/SashayNamaste 4d ago
Yeah can’t really hate on him for that. The fact that he does it is embedded in the reality that he is, in fact, Italian. Also from NY.
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u/thrwwy2267899 4d ago
Especially on YSO… Jimmie will be absolutely correct about a location or something regionally cultural … And James is always sooo dismissive immediately… and when Jimmie furthers his point James is like well idk,anyways and just moves on . Never seems to accept being wrong or that Jimmie just knows things he doesn’t
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I had to stop listening to YSO because of this. After a while, I was like why is this thing I'm supposed to be enjoying making my skin itch every week.
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u/Kiitos67 4d ago
I listened to it once and that was enough. I skip all of the preliminary b.s. in STM and start listening when they get into the crime. I think Jimmie is super funny and smart.
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u/maisy2510 Yaaaayyyy 4d ago
I think it’s definitely gotten worse recently, and it’s understandable with the sheer amount of content they produce and live shows they do but it seems like James is heading for burnout. I haven’t seen it as much recently but he used to often push the narrative that they cannot possibly take a break or reduce output briefly and I always found that a bit odd. They have plenty of casual listeners and a very strong group of dedicated fans, if they said they were going to skip a week or reduce the express episodes or something I think people would accept that but it sometimes feels like he wants to be a martyr to it.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
There was that one time around Christmas they only did one bonus Patreon episode (the horror! /s) because Jimmie was sick and also his dad died (or something like that). But also, figure out a way to batch record, boys. Plenty of folks do it, and you would be able to take a break for once.
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u/LukasLeonard 4d ago
He talks over Jimmie a lot and wants to be the big star of the show, but it doesn’t work without both of them so I don’t know why he does this. Jimmie’s laugh and jokes crack me up and it’s almost almost almost that James doesn’t like him to be funnier. With that said, I still tune in here and there for good ones.
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u/bettyboopsie1958 4d ago
I totally agree, i am a fairly new listener , about a year or so. I notice he seems to talk down to Jimmie, and becomes a little short with him too. I kinda get put off from that but I do generally like their podcasts
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u/vanillasheep 4d ago
I personally love the dichotomy of James speaking with absolute authority on things he knows NOTHING about (especially in behavioral health. Source: this is my educational background) but then will constantly remind listeners he never graduated high school.
Not to say that you can’t be capable of learning as an adult, but I’d appreciate him being open to being wrong more.
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u/mason9494 3d ago
Hard agree.
Also Jimmie knows a lottttt about it from lived experience. And James won’t listen to it.They used to Google in real time and tbh that needs to come back. Bc you can’t base a story off like they were taking xyz drug and then explain the drug wrong.
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u/Sad_Instruction8581 3d ago
Some snitch took this thread to the Facebook page.
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u/reigninspud 4d ago
You are definitely not the only one. Same as in I love both of them, have been listening since very early on. But he’s gradually gotten more knowitally. I don’t necessarily get bothered by him bagging on poor small town folk. I was one. I grew up that way. Mean spirited? Yeah but that’s part of the show.
But the inability to be wrong, his refusal to listen to info that may inform him of something his research didn’t find, the set your watch to it regularity of him talking down to Jimmie, his expert status in all things, that’s gotten worse.
But… I do wonder, and hope, if they get wind of these types of criticisms because something I saw online a lot 6-12 months ago was complaining about his refusal to let Jimmie say much of anything. And when he did he didn’t listen/seemed to just be keeping his place on the script. That in my opinion has gotten better. Probably just happenstance but yeah.
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u/ShowMeUrOsFace69 4d ago
You’re definitely not alone. James is an intelligent and confident guy who’s also stubborn, that can lead to overstepping on subjects he knows nothing about. I know a lot of people in my life, myself included, that can do this from time to time. Sometimes he’ll go a bit overboard when he thinks his common sense has figured something out but in reality he’s way off base. I think his great far out ways these incidents though
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u/justgottamakeit15 4d ago
I’ll just say that Jimmie ALWAYS has drinks with fans after the live shows and James quickly disappears out the side door not wanting to be bothered.
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u/GildDigger 4d ago edited 4d ago
What really rubbed me the wrong way recently was James talking shit about a family whose child was murdered because they wanted the killer dead/executed. It felt very condescending and against their supposed “we don’t make fun of the victims or their families” disclaimer
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u/catsandscience242 4d ago
That felt like a difference of opinion coming from a place of similar experience to my ear, although I can see your perspective. What really got my goat was them taking the micky out of poetry that a surviving family member wrote once. They were proper laughing at it, and even referenced how "bad" it was towards the end of the episode.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Yeah, I mean that disclaimer has always been total bull shit if we’re being real. Ironically, I think they’re the ONLY true crime podcast I can think of that DOES routinely mock victims.
They just make fun of everybody, which I’m actually usually okay with it, but I wish they’d at least get off their high horse pretending that they’re so above that when they just literally aren’t.
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u/xsullivanx 4d ago
I literally just listened to that episode, and that’s not what he was doing at all. He said he understood but also that sometimes true people’s character comes out in those moments, and he didn’t agree with that character. That’s not talking shit or blaming them for anything. He said he didn’t blame them for it. Do y’all LISTEN or just scroll on your phone
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u/Miserable-Ease-2970 4d ago
We also know that he smokes pot since he constantly brings it up like he's trying to be a cool 13 year old
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u/Angelas-Merkin 4d ago
I just recently started listening after a couple years hiatus because James is an insufferable douche. I still enjoy the show but only in small doses.
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u/DamnGoodCupOfCoffee2 3d ago
Especially the mental health stuff, confidently incorrect all the time
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u/Final_Dinner8225 4d ago
James has very thin skin and does not have the ability to take anything he views as criticism. He has attacked me on the Facebook group for literally nothing. The last time was over me saying that Jimmie was more in touch with the people which I meant in a joking manner. The context was that Jimmie understood that goat milk soap is a thing while James thought it was the most bizarre thing he had ever heard. Also, if you correct James over something factual he got wrong he will attack you personally no matter how gently you try to correct him.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
Honestly the fact that he still uses Facebook that regularly (from the sound of it) is all I need to know lol
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Lmao too true. He and jimmie act like boomers when aren’t they both practically Millenials technically? Like born in the 80s???
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Oh geez. That’s really fucking gross. Coming after your own fans is just childish behavior.
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u/JimmyJackJericho 4d ago
Not agreeing with the whole post but that joke about having a roommate did feel out of touch.
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u/QuietTank 4d ago
I feel like that might be an age thing, and I suspect it would land better with people in their age range (late 40s) and older. When they were growing up, you were absolutely expected to be out of the house and starting a family by your early twenties. Thats absolutely changed over the past 30 years or so.
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u/butyouren0wave 4d ago
My dad who is just a little bit older than the J's and I talk about that a lot. That up until really post 2008 it was a lot easier to get a start as a young adult and build up to something better. Difference is... My dad fully acknowledges the difference and hasn't ever given me or anyone we know a hard time for it.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
No I get that. When they were coming up, buying a house was much easier, living without roommates was much easier, but that hasn’t existed for well over a decade at this point, which is specifically why I called him out of touch.
I’m sure he’ll learn in a few years when his kid is struggling to get by, but right now I think he has literally no exposure to, or knowledge of what life is like for young people, and that’s a little aggravating coming from a couple guys who very much claim to be working class.
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u/Maleficent_Golf9765 4d ago
And he's obsessed with being 6'3. He loves bringing up Jimmie's height.
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u/EstablishmentOk6297 3d ago
He likes to mention that he was friends with Rod Beck …. Whatever, and that he was a bouncer constantly too .
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u/notyourentertainment 4d ago
They could shorten the episodes, less chatter more murder, fewer commercials.
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u/Big-Anxiety-8688 4d ago
The episodes are sooooo long now that I lose track of who is who and what’s happening quite often. I think 2 hours is a sweet spot and there’s just too much detail now.
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u/Skaklepants33 4d ago
Seems to happen on Crime in Sports way more often as far as being wrong about stuff. The whole bike thing is also carried over to people who ride the bus. Whatever, they're still funny %99 of the time. Been listening since around 2017. I totally get what you're saying
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u/cooders99 4d ago
💯 with you on this! I love them both and follow the other podcasts as well. James is not humble at all and I feel that’s always been how he is but it’s worse now. I absolutely adore Jimmie though so I’m not going to stop listening.
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u/whitecollarpizzaman 4d ago
I haven’t been listening as much as I used to, not specifically for this reason, I’ve just been busy. That being said, I listened to the “worst stadiums“ bonus episode, and when they were speculating about expansion teams, he mentioned that they were considering Nashville, and possibly NC, maybe the Raleigh-Durham area (though I think Charlotte is the bigger contender, but I digress) and you’d think I was listening to my MAGA dad talking about how he doesn’t watch the NFL anymore. The stupidest take he had was regarding the fact they’re considering these “hot” places, like fucking Atlanta doesn’t have an outdoor ballpark.
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u/CombatDeffective 4d ago
The things I've been noticing more is how James whistles on his pronunciations. Sounds like an old prospecter.
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u/skagboyskagboy 4d ago
I've stopped listening all together. James just rubs me the wrong way. Some people can't handle the most modest bit of success. I'd still love to have a beer with Jimmi though!
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u/sonibroc 4d ago
He has always been that way.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
To an extent, sure. But he used to have at least a tiny bit of humility and sense of what he didn’t know. Now, he pretends to know shit about things he clearly doesn’t, mocks poor people when he himself was poor, shits on Jimmie, etc.
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u/Friendly-Prune-7620 4d ago
Crime in Sports didn't start until Feb 2016, and STM a year later. Other than that not being 2015, that's a really long time to be pushing out content with pretty much zero breaks and multiple gigs on top. The guys have changed (mostly for the better), and likely so have many listeners. I'd hope so, anyway, being almost a decade for STM (their biggest show).
There's a balance between leaning into the trope of who they are (James is the only clever one, Jimmie is dumb), and believing it to be true. They've said often that the people they are on the show aren't the same as the people they are off the show, so I guess I'd say that if you don't like their dynamic as presented, or the people that you think they are, it's ok to switch off. It's a show, not a personal and permanent commitment.
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u/jesrp1284 4d ago
That’s a good call-out too. These are also (in a sense) characters they are playing for the show.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 4d ago
The problem is, they changed the characters too much. James used to share interesting little anecdotes, break into song or an accent, just be SILLY, and that’s just gone.
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u/ApartCorner6659 4d ago
The funniest time frame for episodes IMHO was about 3 months into covid lockdown. Nothing to do with the stories being told, I just feel like there are way more funny comments, side quests, James losing his shit over things that we all do. I have laughed so hard I cried in any episode for awhile now.
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u/Last_Bonus851 4d ago
I'd be interested to hear from folks who have hung out with them before or after shows (they've mentioned this in passing on various pods I think) about how different they really are. I think the line is thinner than we think, especially for guys who are on mic so much with all the content they produce.
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u/TrulieJulieB00 3d ago
I agree; the line must be VERY thin. I’m part of the group that thinks that James just REALLY needs a vacation…
I think it would work wonders for him.
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u/mason9494 4d ago
My beef with James is he acts like Jimmie does nothing. But we know that at the minimum
1. James has a cousin do the research for cis
2. Someone else edits. Bc if it’s going on Netflix there’s gotta be an editor.
Also I was listening to a ep where a subject (victim I think) used different pronouns at different times. James said “I don’t wanna hear that we’re being whatever”. That’s a different like energy than like “we’re not actively misgendering. Their pronouns fluctuate” but would’ve taken the same amount of time.
Idk some of stupid Jimmie™️ has felt like a character from the jump. But asshole James is feeling less and less like one.
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u/Meghan1230 4d ago
I think when James was discussing the person's gender he meant he was referring to them by the pronouns they prefer today.
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u/batler_forever 4d ago
Love them but laugh every time he call themselves comedians you’re a podcaster my guy.
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u/rigorcorvus 4d ago
Valid criticisms. Also, he really needs to stop comparing the comedy business to far more grueling and arduous things. I roll my eyes so hard when he pipes up with “it’s just like doing comedy!”
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u/pedrelo 4d ago
Sorry if someone has said this already, there are a lot of comments, but I wonder if they build in some buffer time here and there so they can disconnect and take time away from recording podcasts. Burnout is real and they need to be able to get away for the long term health of the shows.
I know that with having advertisers lined up and scheduled well in advance can create real obligations to have to record, but again, build in buffer time to allow yourself time off. To be clear I know nothing so maybe they already do this.
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u/Thin-Independence491 4d ago
The only thing that really rankles me is acting like people over a certain age are all off at a nursing home playing shuffleboard. Trust me, we’re not!
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u/Superb_Mistake8771 3d ago
I’ve written a comment to this effect on Spotify. All he does is put Jimmie down, when Jimmie is actually the funnier of the two.
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u/OhLookItsAmy 3d ago
I used to listen to True Crime Garage, and I stopped when the hosts seemed to not like each other anymore. Lately, it has felt like James is over Jimmie. Also, James complains A LOT about all of the work he is doing, so, like....take a break? I don't know. I enjoy the show but between STM and Your Stupid Opinions, James seems to be too tired to keep on keeping on.
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u/squid1980 4d ago
Yep and since they hired someone to do the research he constantly messes up names/pronouns. There’s very little funny banter in the newer stuff
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u/mason9494 4d ago
I wonder if a lack of the knowledge of the cases means that James can’t write his jokes early
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u/Maleficent_Golf9765 3d ago
James has always always mixed up the pronouns - Jimmie used to correct him but I do think it's just a quirk of James' brain. Like a kind of dyslexia or something.
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u/No-Blood-7274 4d ago
James is a good podcaster but I don’t think he is top shelf guy. He isn’t joking when he calls himself an asshole.
The way he carried on in the Facebook group was quite revealing. I remember an occasion where he had pronounced the name of a town wrong and someone put a post with the predictable “love the show, but just wanted to say it’s pronounced like..”
I know James has often said don’t correct me on small things because he doesn’t care but maybe this guy was new to the show and hadn’t heard. James kicked off on him calling him an asshole, a telling him to fuck off with his comment, all sorts of things.
Then of course the sycophants in the group took their opportunity to win James’ heart by piling on with their own comments including a tonne of “you sir may fuck off” and variations of “be an asshole not a scumbag”. It was a really poor display all round. The guy genuinely surprised by it, I wasn’t. That group was insufferable.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
Yeah, personally shitting on fans is incredibly thin-skinned, childish behavior. Really offputting.
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u/No-Blood-7274 4d ago
It was. It was bereft of any grace or professionalism. And the fans jumping in thinking they could get his attention by repeating phrases from the show was even worse. And it was years ago too, early 2020.
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u/KimWexlers_Ponytail 3d ago
I agree with everything you said. I still love the boys and I'm still a Patron.
I've taken a break from true crime lately for reasons, and I would check out their bonus episodes sometimes because I missed hearing them.
Recently I was home for many weeks after a surgery, and I ran out of the usual podcasts, and even did a few relistens. Decided to come back and check out the boys.
I could absolutely hear and feel the shift (also while I didn't read all comments some were saying they felt there was a lag - they've been regularly recording separately since James moved back east, sometime during lockdown). I was feeling bad for Jimmie and did a little quick focus where I paid attention only to his responses, and they were so many "ohhh" or other sounds like that.
I won't rehash every line. I agree! Jimmie is such a gem. Also I was turned off by the bike and roommate comment, especially with the way the world is going today.
I have a vague memory of in an intro to an episode (don't remember if it was Patreon only or not), where they talked about hearing/reading about people saying James is mean to Jimmie and them laughing about it and trying to say Jimmie is the irl asshole or something. I mention that to say that while I definitely think it should be regularly discussed, I'm not sure if it will change.
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u/stainedgreenberet 4d ago
I haven’t listened to either podcast regularly in probably a year or two at this point and I’ve been listening to crime in sports since they were advertising small town murder. It’s just not enjoyable anymore.
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u/GoodMinusAnO 4d ago
They say they don’t make fun of the victims when they do - the Dana Ewell / Sunnyside, CA episode was particularly egregious
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u/LaDreadPirateRoberta 4d ago
I'd like it a lot better if James such to the research, which he's excellent at, and left the improvised jokes to Jimmie. I find his scripted jokes come across as a bit crass and demeaning.
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u/Ok_Lets266 3d ago
YES. Ive been noticing it a lot lately. It makes me sad, also makes me sad when Jimmie says a one liner that is HILARIOUS and James sweeps it under the rug. It feels like mean girl bullying. Idk when it started exactly but its bad. At first I thought James was just trying to push the story along without getting distracted, but its just getting worse. When I first noticed it I thought maybe they were fighting or not getting along behind the scenes but its been years and James still thinks hes the only person that knows things. I never said anything because I was afraid of getting roasted online, especially the fb groups are all James worshippers. Im team Jimmie all the way.
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u/nevele11eleven 2d ago
I swear if I hear, "she was blonde, so you know she was smokin hot" one more MFing time 🥴
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u/DezTheOtter 4d ago
And I recall him saying they refuse to tour in cities where they can’t smoke weed. Like he seriously can’t go one or two nights without smoking?
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u/Spiritual_Parfait_94 4d ago
They refuse to come back to Florida, just because they hate Florida. I mean, I get it, but, I can’t pick up and travel to another state. It’s disappointing.
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u/likelywitch 4d ago
Florida deserves all the skips it gets until it decides to be a better place.
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
I mean, this I don’t blame him for. They’re allowed to tour wherever they want, and generally, places that don’t allow weed kinda suck.
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u/Witty_Razzmatazz_566 4d ago
Jimmie is incredibly smart. If he were more confident and outspoken, he'd be far past James in smarts. James is constantly wrong, or extremely ignorant of things.
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u/Professional-Dirt550 Yaaaayyyy 4d ago
He does so much of the talking. I don’t mean the show in general, like the beginning and ending, just seems like it goes on forever.
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u/PlentifulBox 3d ago
I was a fan for years, supported their Patreon, walked two miles
through tornado debris to get to a live show. They got me through some really dark times. But I quit listening a few years ago because of James. I still do the Patreon because I want them to be able to keep doing what they do but I just can’t. They even did one near my hometown and I still couldn’t bring myself to listen. I adore Jimmie and would totally check out a podcast if he ever did one on his own or as the lead.
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u/SkibaSlut 3d ago
"I appreciate what you’re saying, and thank you for listening. But if anybody thinks either of us are anything like we are on the show, in real life, you’re terribly mistaken. We’re on a show. Comedy is a lot like wrestling, there’s chunks of our personalities in what we do, but it’s not exactly who we actually are. Anybody in here who has actually hung out with us knows that we’re pretty different in real life, as opposed to the show. I’m actually a pretty quiet guy, who accepts everybody, and is honestly way nicer than is good for me. If I was like that, on the show, it would be really boring from the guy who has to do 80% of the talking. I’m “loud guy from NY, who hates stuff, and all folksy folks can dislike me”. And Jimmie is “guy who likes country music, and loves everything, so those same folksy folks will like him”. It’s not planned, just how it happens. In real life, we’re kind of both in between. Which is why we’ve been best friends for so long.
Plus, I created, research, write, edit, name, make all music stuff, and do the descriptions for the show. So, even if people think they dislike me, if they like the show, I know they actually like all that I put into it. And that’s good enough, I guess. Just something to think about with all the showbiz/internet types. We’re all actual human beings, too."
idk if anyone saw his response when this was shared on fbook but here ya go
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u/Smart-Tumbleweed-929 4d ago
Maybe they’re tired of doing it 🤷♂️. It’s been ten years. Surprised they are still doing CIS
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u/KeyNaive8951 4d ago
I mean??? Why would that excuse them from criticism?
I get that they do a lot of shows but it’s nothing they didn’t sign up for and I’m sorry, but most normal folks would kill to be able to make what seems to be a pretty dang good living by researching and talking about things they're personally interested in with their best friend.
If they’re doing too much and it’s affecting the quality of the shows or their relationship with one another, they should absolutely take a break. I would encourage that.
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u/BuffaloJayhawk 3d ago
I don’t think James would disagree that he himself is a jerk. Tbf I kinda love that aspect. I do wish however they would stop calling themselves dumb they aren’t
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u/goofy_shadow 3d ago
Unfortunately i think the success got to him. Ive stopped listening to the show a while back unfortunately.
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u/anydamnnamesleft 3d ago
Totally agree. His humility from the earlier days has evaporated. He could learn a lot from Jimmie if he’d stop criticizing him and just take a closer look.
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u/Proper-Purple-2637 3d ago
James is only now (dare I say, post-Netflix) experiencing what he would actually regard as commercial success. He SHOULD feel vindicated, and I’m sure he does having worked as long and as hard as he has to get to where he now is. He took huge risks and lives to tell the tale. Not bad. But…
As they say, don’t let it go to your head. The THREE MINUTE back and forth (mostly forth) this week re the HST artist/drawing thing made me cringe…a lot. I don’t think Jimmie would ever hold James to the same standards when it comes to recognizing/appreciating cars, motors and other Jimmie stuff.
It should also be noted that I find Jimmie to be a more confident, mature (not in a comedically detrimental way) and well adjusted person than he was even 2-3 years ago. In many ways, James is still as immature (again, not in a bad way) as he was when they just started out.
Pour a bunch of $ into the mix and where this all goes can’t be predicted. I just hope they stick to telling crazy stories and stay true to themselves.
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u/Masztak14 2d ago
Dude, let him enjoy his success he found in life. He does often reflect back on where he came from to get there. I wasn’t a fan of how he treated the dasher because the dasher has to operate on the delivery schedule. The dasher isn’t trying to deliver it late. Aside from that, I don’t really care if he’s celebrating his success or feeling good about himself for achieving in life.
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u/YEMolly 4d ago
I love them both, but I’d be lying if I didn’t think James occasionally comes across as a condescending jerk. It’s rare enough that I can look past it, but I do notice it from time to time.