The Banter Blender

There's only one podcast on earth that can discuss the government shutdown, Britney Spears's new video, and Moby Dick without skipping a beat. We discuss all that and more on this latest episode of "Banter with Ben and Lisa." Also going into the banter blender: "Gravity," ghost tours of Savannah, biker gangs, Grand Theft Auto V, and what your Facebook status updates might say about you. Plus, more etiquette lessons from 1888. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (twitter.com/timmonslisa) give pop culture a big bear hug. First, Ben discusses his recent trip to Portland and shares passages from an 1888 etiquette book he found at Powell's Bookstore. Then the two talk about Nate Burleson of the Detroit Lions and his pizza-related injury. After that, it's a mix of the Emmys, Jon Gosselin, and lessons about parquet floors. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (twitter.com/timmonslisa) talk about new happenings in pop culture. First, we take on Apple's ios7 for the iPhone. Then, it's on to the fall premieres of "Dads" and "Brooklyn Nine Nine." As a bonus, we make a few Emmy predictions, and then discuss Britney Spears's new song "Work, Bitch" before reliving an epic "Wheel of Fortune" fail from earlier this week. Along the way, there are tales of mandolins and coffee mugs, naturally. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (twitter.com/timmonslisa) discuss some of the fall television they're excited for. Plus, it's an update on "Operation Seduction" with talk of Wentworth Miller's recent coming out of the closet. The two also discuss Ben's internship experiences at "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," the WWE, and "Strangers with Candy." As a bonus, there's talk of Yom Kippur and Halloween, naturally. Come listen! Remember to use the promo code "banter" on checkout at GoDaddy.com to get a .com domain for only $2! That's a good deal, people.

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (socialitelife.com) discuss a harrowing tale of courage and adventure on the violent waters of Nantucket. Electronics were destroyed, memories were made. Then we discuss "The Conjuring" and another similarly intense piece of cinema: "The Lion King." All that and plenty of other tangents. Come listen!

This week, Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (socialitelife.com) take on MTV's annual display of craziness: the VMAs! We tackle everything from Miley's twerking to Gaga's wigging out. Plus, the much-hyped NSYNC reunion, Macklemore's J-Hud moment, and Katy Perry's time in the ring. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (socialitelife.com) discuss the ins and outs of "Lee Daniels' The Butler" -- spoilers ahead. The two also chat about celebrity encounters with Mary J. Blige and NFL star Ryan Grant. Plus, Lisa tells us about her recent trip to NYC. Come take a listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," we catch up on some old TV by touching base on "Downton Abbey" and "Six Feet Under." Then Lisa and Ben share a few noteworthy celebrity encounter stories before talking about "Blue Jasmine" and "The Conjuring." Finally, Lisa expresses her love for pretzel buns and Ben sounds off on Justin Timberlake. Come listen!

On this week's "Banter with Ben and Lisa," we talk babies: from Prince George Alexander to North West. We then check in on Brody Jenner's clash with stepmom Kris Jenner and discuss the latest craziness in Amanda Bynes' life. Plus, we read a seething piece of hate mail from a Fox News viewer. Always fun!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (http://bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (@timmonslisa) talk extensively about such pop culture failures as Lindsay Lohan, Tara Reid, and Hoku. Who's Hoku? Exactly. Along the way, we naturally tackle racist controversies from Paula Deen and Big Brother 15, and revisit one of our favorite movies, "Jurassic Park," yet again. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) shares death-defying stories about his recent trip to Hawaii where he encountered roosters, giant SUVs, and other frightening threats to his safety. There's also talk of fat suits, Gerard Depardieu, and Jason Collins, naturally. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Ben Mandelker (http://bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (http://wherelisalives.com) are joined by Matt Whitfield (Yahoo!, Watch What Crappens) to talk about everything under the sun. We start by saying goodbye to TVgasm.com, which is shutting down this week. Ben talks about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that inspired the site and eventually led to his departure. After that, the gang takes on the Man of Steel, DOMA, Aaron Hernandez, Gwyneth Paltrow, and inevitably, our favorite cougar anthems. Definitely listen to this one!

Time for another episode of Banter with Ben and Lisa! This week, Ben Mandelker (http://bsideblog.com) and Lisa Timmons (http://wherelisalives.com) take on the spawn of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (who was still unnamed at press time). After that, the two chat about James Gandolfini's untimely passing, controversial dance sensation Kaycee Rice, new Instagram video features, and Paula Deen's racist ways. Along the way, there's plenty of sidetracking about Japanese ghosts and druggie alligators, naturally. Come listen!

This week on "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Lisa Timmons (http://socialitelife.com) and Ben Mandelker (http://bsideblog.com) are joined by Ronnie Karam (Watch What Crappens) as they discuss all sorts of important information such as flamboyant moments at Gay Pride, Michael Douglas's throat cancer, and, of course Superman! Check it out!!

After a two week break, we are back! On this episode of "Banter with Ben and Lisa," Lisa Timmons (http://socialitelife.com) tells us about her epic cross country drive as well as a few other noteworthy anecdotes. Ben Mandelker (http://bsideblog.com) then reveals his new addiction to Candy Crush Saga and Vine. Along the way, there's talk of the Manson Family Murders (naturally) and, of course, Sade. Plus, an update on Operation: Seduction! Come listen!