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#3705: Ariana Venti

Mike O'Meara, Robb Spewak, Josh Sroka

September 2, 2026 · 1 hr 19 min

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Show notes

Mike and Robb put the Looney Tunes on trial, Dennis weighs in from the chat (eventually), and Robb delivers a rave review of Coyote vs. Acme. Mike’s algorithm has decided he’s elderly, so naturally we conduct a deeply dignified investigation into dry mouth, foot scrubbing, and the undercarriage. Ariana Grande acquires an imaginary big sister named Ariana Venti, while Josh’s improv skills receive an unscheduled performance review. The Cat in the Hat becomes a local-news emergency, and the guys wonder whether the coverage is scarier than the meme. Plus, yesterday’s bird-feeding showdown leaves a mysterious funk in Mike’s car—and the floor mats may need more help than his wounded pride.

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[SPEAKER_05]: This episode of the Michael Marasio is brought to you by the TMOS Amazon Portal.

[SPEAKER_05]: Remember to click the Amazon link at TMOSpodcast.com before you shop.

[SPEAKER_05]: It's that easy.

[SPEAKER_05]: Thank you.

[SPEAKER_05]: Now, on with the show.

[SPEAKER_12]: This is Jim Rockford at the Tonly of your name and message I'll get back to you.

[SPEAKER_03]: Michael Mara, radio entertainment.

[SPEAKER_03]: You can listen to the Michael Mero Show at TMOs.com or anywhere find podcasts or fun.

[SPEAKER_03]: Welcome to our show.

[SPEAKER_03]: We're going to start with the race.

[SPEAKER_12]: It's got to be fucking look at our phone.

[SPEAKER_03]: There's plenty for everyone.

[SPEAKER_03]: It's the Michael Mero Show with Michael Mero.

[SPEAKER_03]: Bye!

[SPEAKER_03]: Josh Rooka.

[SPEAKER_03]: And Rob Speedway.

[SPEAKER_03]: It's only the beginning.

[SPEAKER_05]: And now, here's Mike.

[SPEAKER_05]: Living in my computer just a few moments ago, something popped up on my computer that said, Rob Spiewak has a post.

[SPEAKER_05]: And it alerted me that Rob had something up there and so I immediately dove in.

[SPEAKER_05]: And I got an immediate chuckle.

[SPEAKER_05]: Why do I think Rob that has been on one of the, either your video or my video?

[SPEAKER_05]: Has that have you shared that on this show

[SPEAKER_06]: the one about cartoons oh that is we have played it some time ago but my buddy John in Boss Angeles we were talking about a certain movie that I hope we discussed today and he attached that clip to it it is the tightest most excellent stand-up chunk you can imagine it is very great

[SPEAKER_05]: and for those of you that are a little longer in the tooth, I think this will be something you can enjoy.

[SPEAKER_05]: And what makes what makes comedy work sometimes is just how true it really is.

[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_05]: And hysterically funny.

[SPEAKER_05]: We've talked about it before.

[SPEAKER_05]: It's been a subject of this show,

[SPEAKER_06]: Recently, I mean, within the last year, you sort well, maybe a couple of years, you've kind of introduced your son to classic cartoons for Warner Brothers.

[SPEAKER_06]: Yes, Looney Tunes and Mary Melodies.

[SPEAKER_06]: That we grew up with, I think everyone on this show grew up with without giving it a second thought.

[SPEAKER_05]: Right.

[SPEAKER_06]: But there's the problems are multifold.

[SPEAKER_05]: Problems are multifold and nobody takes it about it articulates it better than this community.

[SPEAKER_05]: Check this guy out.

[SPEAKER_05]: I hope you enjoy him as much as Robin I did.

[SPEAKER_05]: Take a look.

[SPEAKER_12]: That show was not aged well.

[SPEAKER_12]: That's right for the began.

[SPEAKER_05]: It does.

[SPEAKER_05]: I don't know how to chop soft stuff.

[SPEAKER_12]: I don't really need tunes for my kids recently.

[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_12]: That show was not aged well.

[SPEAKER_12]: All right, honey, let's meet this cast of characters.

[SPEAKER_12]: First off, we have a pig, his name's Porkey.

[SPEAKER_12]: And his thing is he has a speech epitome.

[SPEAKER_12]: He goes, what a go, yeah, he has a hard time communicating with his peers.

[SPEAKER_12]: And therefore he has really low self-esteem.

[SPEAKER_12]: Okay, you don't like that?

[SPEAKER_12]: Well, check it out.

[SPEAKER_12]: There's this mouse and he's Mexican.

[SPEAKER_12]: Because I don't get it.

[SPEAKER_12]: How's that funny going?

[SPEAKER_12]: How's that not funny?

[SPEAKER_12]: That's beautiful.

[SPEAKER_12]: What do I say?

[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_05]: This episode of the Michael Marasio is brought to you by the TMOS Amazon Portal. [SPEAKER_05]: Remember to click the Amazon link at TMOSpodcast.com before you shop. [SPEAKER_05]: It's that easy. [SPEAKER_05]: Thank you. [SPEAKER_05]: Now, on with the show. [SPEAKER_12]: This is Jim Rockford at the Tonly of your name and message I'll get back to you. [SPEAKER_03]: Michael Mara, radio entertainment. [SPEAKER_03]: You can listen to the Michael Mero Show at TMOs.com or anywhere find podcasts or fun. [SPEAKER_03]: Welcome to our show. [SPEAKER_03]: We're going to start with the race. [SPEAKER_12]: It's got to be fucking look at our phone. [SPEAKER_03]: There's plenty for everyone. [SPEAKER_03]: It's the Michael Mero Show with Michael Mero. [SPEAKER_03]: Bye! [SPEAKER_03]: Josh Rooka. [SPEAKER_03]: And Rob Speedway. [SPEAKER_03]: It's only the beginning. [SPEAKER_05]: And now, here's Mike. [SPEAKER_05]: Living in my computer just a few moments ago, something popped up on my computer that said, Rob Spiewak has a post. [SPEAKER_05]: And it alerted me that Rob had something up there and so I immediately dove in. [SPEAKER_05]: And I got an immediate chuckle. [SPEAKER_05]: Why do I think Rob that has been on one of the, either your video or my video? [SPEAKER_05]: Has that have you shared that on this show [SPEAKER_06]: the one about cartoons oh that is we have played it some time ago but my buddy John in Boss Angeles we were talking about a certain movie that I hope we discussed today and he attached that clip to it it is the tightest most excellent stand-up chunk you can imagine it is very great [SPEAKER_05]: and for those of you that are a little longer in the tooth, I think this will be something you can enjoy. [SPEAKER_05]: And what makes what makes comedy work sometimes is just how true it really is. [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_05]: And hysterically funny. [SPEAKER_05]: We've talked about it before. [SPEAKER_05]: It's been a subject of this show, [SPEAKER_06]: Recently, I mean, within the last year, you sort well, maybe a couple of years, you've kind of introduced your son to classic cartoons for Warner Brothers. [SPEAKER_06]: Yes, Looney Tunes and Mary Melodies. [SPEAKER_06]: That we grew up with, I think everyone on this show grew up with without giving it a second thought. [SPEAKER_05]: Right. [SPEAKER_06]: But there's the problems are multifold. [SPEAKER_05]: Problems are multifold and nobody takes it about it articulates it better than this community. [SPEAKER_05]: Check this guy out. [SPEAKER_05]: I hope you enjoy him as much as Robin I did. [SPEAKER_05]: Take a look. [SPEAKER_12]: That show was not aged well. [SPEAKER_12]: That's right for the began. [SPEAKER_05]: It does. [SPEAKER_05]: I don't know how to chop soft stuff. [SPEAKER_12]: I don't really need tunes for my kids recently. [SPEAKER_12]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_12]: That show was not aged well. [SPEAKER_12]: All right, honey, let's meet this cast of characters. [SPEAKER_12]: First off, we have a pig, his name's Porkey. [SPEAKER_12]: And his thing is he has a speech epitome. [SPEAKER_12]: He goes, what a go, yeah, he has a hard time communicating with his peers. [SPEAKER_12]: And therefore he has really low self-esteem. [SPEAKER_12]: Okay, you don't like that? [SPEAKER_12]: Well, check it out. [SPEAKER_12]: There's this mouse and he's Mexican. [SPEAKER_12]: Because I don't get it. [SPEAKER_12]: How's that funny going? [SPEAKER_12]: How's that not funny? [SPEAKER_12]: That's beautiful. [SPEAKER_12]: What do I say? [SPEAKER_12]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_12]: Mexican mouse? [SPEAKER_12]: Okay, you don't like that? [SPEAKER_12]: We'll check it out. [SPEAKER_12]: There's this scone. [SPEAKER_12]: She goes, what's he doing? [SPEAKER_12]: Go, he holds women against their will. [SPEAKER_12]: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha [SPEAKER_12]: There's this coyote who wants to kill this bird. [SPEAKER_12]: There's this cat who wants to kill this other bird. [SPEAKER_12]: Both that cat and that bird also have speech impediments, by the way. [SPEAKER_12]: And we don't like any of that. [SPEAKER_12]: You're close to headliner. [SPEAKER_12]: The main character, right? [SPEAKER_12]: See? [SPEAKER_12]: There's his body. [SPEAKER_12]: And there's his huncher. [SPEAKER_12]: You guess it. [SPEAKER_12]: Also with the speech of the man. [SPEAKER_05]: All right. [SPEAKER_05]: That's breaking up a little bit. [SPEAKER_05]: That's funny. [SPEAKER_05]: Oh my god. [SPEAKER_06]: Just about perfect. [SPEAKER_06]: It really is. [SPEAKER_06]: It really is. [SPEAKER_06]: If you know the only thing about it, he never got to fog horn leg horn. [SPEAKER_06]: which, uh, well, that is sort of an outrageous characterization is he might be the least offensive. [SPEAKER_05]: Well, it's in your world. [SPEAKER_06]: Well, I mean, he has a Southern accent and he's loud. [SPEAKER_05]: I think it's a Southern accent, Rob. [SPEAKER_06]: I'm absolutely it is it's based on a character from the Fred Allen show. [SPEAKER_05]: It's not it's not it's not it's not it's not it isn't well you're that you know history you know the nostalgia stuff better than I do so you know that's yeah that is I mean it's [SPEAKER_06]: Some of his situations aren't exactly great, but he was not, no, he was not a characterization of anything but a loudmouth southern politician that had already been made popular on the radio. [SPEAKER_06]: So yeah, he's a, he was not holding women against their will and he didn't, he didn't really have a speech impediment. [SPEAKER_05]: Didn't, wasn't there a controversy of some kind recently about Pepe Lopio? [SPEAKER_06]: Yeah, they wanted to shut it down. [SPEAKER_05]: Well, in what way? [SPEAKER_05]: What were they? [SPEAKER_06]: Because they wanted to like cancel Pepe Lapu because he was pursuing women that had no interest. [SPEAKER_04]: I also think didn't they already cancel Speedy Consolus? [SPEAKER_04]: Yes, so I don't use them anymore. [SPEAKER_06]: And I do think also that there were people that didn't like the interracial thing of a scunk after a cat. [SPEAKER_05]: All right, here is the very obvious but simple dilemma. [SPEAKER_05]: Right. [SPEAKER_05]: In the world we live in now. [SPEAKER_05]: There is no, we have replaced genuine, we have replaced, I have to articulate this right way, because it's a confusing thing for me, because it's so bizarre, it's so twisted around. [SPEAKER_05]: So we cancel cartoons, we say don't show this because this will be offensive to someone. [SPEAKER_05]: yet our policies are more racist than they've ever been because brown people are stopped on the street right on their way to work. [SPEAKER_04]: Well, what you're having to do my sense of way, but people are upset about that, too. [SPEAKER_05]: No, like, but you have to do it, it's still, I don't get, yes, but I'll say racist people are upset about the people, the Brown people being, you know, but I'm saying canceling a cartoon. [SPEAKER_04]: It's not like it takes the federal government to cancel this. [SPEAKER_04]: It takes, no, no, loud people on the internet. [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, but what I'm saying, though, is that back in the day when nobody was making a peep, right, about fog above, I was going to say fog or later again, about bugs, bunny and loony tunes, uh, also nobody was being locked up. [SPEAKER_06]: So what you have to do, Mike, is as an American, you have to determine what is more offensive and accent or locking people up and taking them away from their family. [SPEAKER_04]: Well, what the go ahead wasn't where we're too happening at the same time as if you go if you go that way back. [SPEAKER_05]: So that's a little bit of well of it. [SPEAKER_06]: if you go way back to uh... the looney tune was it looney tunes robber Warner Bros. Well looney tune is racist cartoons Warner Bros. had all of the cartoons that we're discussing Mary Melodies were non-character driven cartoons like one of us looney tunes had bugs and daffy and porcupine all that stuff [SPEAKER_05]: So, I guess the thing that I would love a world where there was no indignation about a fucking cartoon and there were people that were screaming from the highest building. [SPEAKER_05]: Don't lock people up because everybody is an immigrant and that's what I that the perfect World we're in the opposite world now. [SPEAKER_05]: You know, I mean, you're just like a pre-internet world I'm asking for a better world. [SPEAKER_05]: I'm asking for a world where we didn't have to deal with this bullshit Are we still safe to make fun of speech impediments? [SPEAKER_04]: No, right right. [SPEAKER_06]: I get a run-off. [SPEAKER_04]: I mean how about the way you pronounce words [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, they're like you stick around John. [SPEAKER_05]: Well, see, see that you know what? [SPEAKER_05]: It's close. [SPEAKER_05]: He's close, but he's also, he's here in front of us. [SPEAKER_05]: And we do, and he's fully functioning. [SPEAKER_05]: Nobody, he also, man. [UNKNOWN]: But. [SPEAKER_05]: He gets away. [SPEAKER_05]: We get away with it for him because he gets away with saying, I'm old or your bald. [SPEAKER_05]: Exactly. [SPEAKER_14]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_05]: But the whole thing I think, all right, I think I figured it out. [SPEAKER_05]: Okay. [SPEAKER_05]: I think what my point is figured out what my how to communicate as a great communicator that I am. [SPEAKER_06]: I encourage you got this in before the cruise. [SPEAKER_06]: I figure out how to communicate. [SPEAKER_06]: I am just so tired of [SPEAKER_05]: the the over sensitivity about the stuff that doesn't matter, but I have no quarter with the people who think I'm that we shouldn't be over sensitive cartoons and then we're okay also with [SPEAKER_05]: all the policies that are being, you know, killing people and shooting, my take is this. [SPEAKER_06]: And I mean, we've all said it and I believe it as staunchly as anyone's you could find. [SPEAKER_06]: If you ignore history, you are doomed to repeat it. [SPEAKER_06]: Right. [SPEAKER_06]: And these cartoons that people are having trouble with, these are cartoons. [SPEAKER_06]: These are little seven and a half minute films, but you haven't to put this people on. [SPEAKER_05]: in the past like over in Europe, Charlie Hebdo where the people got shot because of the cartoon, the anti-Muslim court. [SPEAKER_06]: What I'm saying is that these cartoons to view them, this is maybe asking a lot of our kids, but you need to look at them in a historical context. [SPEAKER_06]: When these came out, [SPEAKER_06]: Our whole viewpoint on everything was different, and Josh brings up World War II, that's part of it, but the Golden Age followed World War II, and we were more backward with our international and racial relations as a country than we are now. [SPEAKER_06]: But that doesn't mean these never happened. [SPEAKER_06]: That doesn't mean America never reflected that. [SPEAKER_06]: We should be aware of that. [SPEAKER_06]: It was on the Conternor Classic movies, they will occasionally run something at the front and they do this on the Looney Tunes box as well. [SPEAKER_06]: These are a product of their time, this movie is a product of its time and when you watch it, you have to remember that. [SPEAK