We Look Back, Say Thanks, And Close The Mic

Seven years, dozens of pivots, and a community that turned quotes into running jokes—this final chapter brings it all together with candor and a wink. We open the notebook on how a mother–daughter experiment called More Remarks grew into An Americanist, why the blog faded while the mic stayed hot, and what it really takes to keep an indie show alive when life changes and budgets tighten. The decision to archive isn’t a surrender; it’s a thoughtful choice about energy, cost, and what deserves space as we move forward.

We pull back the curtain on the tech and tactics that made a phone-recorded show sound clean enough to ship, and why Buzzsprout earned our trust through years of reliable support, quick replies, and clear communication—even in the face of a security scare. If you’re weighing hosting options, tiers, or mastering upgrades, you’ll get the unvarnished take on what’s worth paying for and when a free plan with a 90-day window makes more sense for a casual side project like Brood Awakening.

Of course, the feed wouldn’t sign off without a few stories. We unpack the headline-grabber about Burger King inviting customers to call the company president directly, ask how long a stunt like that can sustain real replies, and what “customer-centric” means when the phone won’t stop ringing. Then we wade into tipping culture with a Dear Abby spark: should prompts pop up at drive-thrus, and how should we think about service, pressure, and value in a tight economy? Expect strong opinions, practical nuance, and a few laughs along the way.

We end where the best conversations often do—with comedy. Tonight’s plan to catch Joe Machi leads to a parting question that belongs to everyone: who’s the greatest comedian of all time? If you can’t crown one, give us your top three. Hit play, join the farewell, and help us keep the spirit alive—subscribe to Brood Awakening, share this send-off with a friend, and leave a review with your comedy Mount Rushmore.

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Liberty Line each week on Sunday, look for topics on my X file @americanistblog and submit your 1-3 audio opinions to anamericanistblog@gmail.com and you'll be featured on the podcast. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Final Episode Announcement
• 0:42 How The Show Began With Gracie
• 2:33 Evolutions Of The Podcast
• 3:20 Archiving Plans And Costs
• 4:32 Keeping Brood Awakening Alive
• 4:48 Why Buzzsprout Won Loyalty
• 6:52 Shoutouts To Supporters
• 8:11 News Bit: Burger King Hotline
• 10:56 Dear Abby And Tipping Culture
• 15:34 Comedy Plans And Question Of The Day
• 16:50 Final Goodbye

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:15

Well, good morning, my little love bunnies. We have made it. It is Friday, February 20th, I believe. And this 2026. And this is the last episode of this podcast. Wow. Can you believe that this has been this is the seventh year? My daughter. Let me give you a little history of how this started. My daughter and I started this podcast.

unknown: 0:47

Gosh.

SPEAKER_00: 0:47

And I don't think it was called well, it wasn't called an Americanist back then. It was called More Remarks. Because I had a blog called Carol Remarks. And I wanted to start a podcast. Oh, oh shit. Oh boy. Sorry, I just see some some weird person walking by. Please don't approach the car. Okay, he's not going to. Um, I know I'm a little paranoid. So anyway, I started this podcast with my daughter because I wanted to get into the podcasting world because everybody was doing it, and I it was popular back then. We started this podcast in 2019, my daughter and I, Gracie. And we did it, and we called it More Remarks, is what it was called, uh uh as an appendage or an extension to my blog. Um, so we did it once a week, and it was something fun for a mother and daughter to do together. Um, to I don't know, to record our voices together, a fun project for us to do together, spend time together. It was fun, and we did fun topics. We did fun light topics. You can go back to the very beginning, December 2019. I think we did it maybe once a week, maybe once a month, I'm not sure. I can't remember. It was such a long time ago, 2019, pre-COVID. And then so she got married, though, in March of 2020. And therefore, she got busy with her own life, and so she dropped off of the podcast, but I kept it up, and it's been so many different things. I've done fitness, I've done life after 50, I've tried to do the Bible thing, and finally it just became, and then it became Carol Remarks for a long time, and then it finally became an Americanist because I got rid of my blog, Carol Remarks, because I'm thinking nobody cares what Carol Remarks has to say, but an Americanist, that's more like a branded thing. Therefore, we have an Americanist.com blog, and then we also have the podcast. Now, I will keep it archive, I mean, I will keep it active probably through the end of February, maybe, maybe a little bit of March, but then I am gonna eventually archive this podcast. So I won't be paying$15 a month for it. Now I pay for all the bells and whistles for this particular podcast. I pay for Magic Mastering, which kind of takes off the background noise, makes it sound better, even though I'm doing it from my cell phone. I think I'm I might be the only person that does a podcast from my cell phone, but it never caught on. Um and therefore when I archive it, it'll make it a lot less expensive for me to keep. And then eventually I'll just delete it altogether. I know, I know. Now the gent and I will continue with Brood Awakening. That I keep I do a free account over there on Buzz Sprout, and I'll talk about Buzz Sprout in a minute, my hosting platform. They are fantastic. We're keeping that one, but it's free, and they delete episodes after 90 days. So if you don't listen to an episode within 90 days, it's gone. Which is fine. That's fine because you know it's just the gent and I having coffee in the bed on a Sunday morning chatting with you guys. All right, hang on, I gotta go get my coffee. I'll be right back. Okay, I made it over to work safe and sound, everything is good. All right, so Buzz Sprout. Buzz Sprout is the hosting platform that I've used forever. Now, I did start out with a different with the a different hosting platform. I can't remember the name of them because as soon as they started doing political opinions on their X feed and on their social media, I'm like, nope, I'm out. And so I found Buzz Sprout and it was shortly after I started the podcast. So I've been with Buzz Sprout for six years probably. Um and they have been fantastic. Their customer service isn't is right here in America. They ha it has to be. They I remember one time they got hacked, or I don't know what you call it, hacked, or they got ransomed, where they I guess that's what you call it, where they got hacked, and these ransomers held them captive, but they worked nonstop, continuous around the clock to get their site back, and they kept in good communication with their customers. And it was maybe a 12-hour, 24-hour period, it wasn't even that long. And they are fantastic. Whenever I had a problem with them, I just emailed them. They emailed me back almost instantaneously, and they know their stuff. I highly recommend Buzz Sprout for anybody who wants to start podcasting. It's easy to it's easy to to do. If I can do it, you know anybody can do it. So that's a good plug for Buzz Sprout. If I ever do start another podcast, it'll be with Buzz Sprout. They have different levels that you can do. They can do the free one, but again, after 90 days, your episodes delete. Then there's a di there's you can there's different levels of payments you could do. I do probably mid-range, the$15 one, because I have because I added the magic mastering to it. Alright. Moving on. Now I have some people to thank for helping me get my podcast out there into the world. I have the boy blob to thank. I don't think he's on Twitter or ex anymore, though. I think he's decided to go out and live in the real life 24 hours. Good for him. But thank you, boy blob. I think he's the first one that started quoting me. And then there's Mr. Shons, of course, and please keep him and his family in your prayers. Please. Um he's uh he cracks me up too with his quotes that he does. He started it too with the boy blob, started quoting me, started quoting me, and and then giblets started in. Thank you, giblets. Oh my gosh, you guys have just made my day when you when you quote me. You guys are so funny. I love it. I don't know if you started off just making fun of me. I don't know. I don't care. It was it cracked me up when you would quote me and take my stuff out of context and put it out there. It made my day. I'm telling you, you just I love to laugh, and you guys are so funny, and you made me laugh every day. Well, Monday through Friday anyway. Of course, Giblets does it on Sunday with the gent and I am brutal, brood awakening. So thank you, thank you, thank you for helping this podcast get out there to a bigger audience, and I appreciate you guys. I love it. Alright, let's see what else is going on. Well, I do actually have some stories for you. I have a couple of stories. It wouldn't be, let's see, it wouldn't be right to end this podcast without a story or two. So this is gonna be a little bit longer than usual, this episode, but is it is the last one, so why not? All right, let's see what we have here. Angry Burger King customers can now call their president directly to complain. Not President Trump, Burger King's president. And yes, he intends to respond to everyone. This'll last about a week. I don't see him responding to everything. Come on now. You can't do that. You're gonna open up a phone number to people to call. They're gonna call and they're gonna say some stupid stuff. Have it your way and let them know. Burger King is taking customer feedback personally, giving out the company president's phone number so people can contact him directly. Uh-huh. Sure it's his phone number. 1-800. Burger King. While most I don't know if that's the number or not, I'm just saying. While most companies ask for feedback through surveys or emails, the fast food joint is giving customers a direct way to give the brand's leadership insight into what they're actually experiencing. Read more. I hope the ad doesn't pop up. Guests can now call or text Burger King president Tom Curtis directly to share their personal experiences and feedback. Oh, Tom, what have you done? The brand shared that Curtis will personally make as many daily calls as he possibly can. You're gonna be a busy man, and every message from fans will be reviewed and responded to. So he's gonna have a team of people reviewing them and then probably sending the best ones to him. He's not gonna be looking at him himself, obviously. He's a CEO. But he is gonna be busy calling back these people all day long. As the home of Have It Your Way, guests are our most important advisors, Curtis said in a statement. We're grateful that they provide the feedback that is shaping our brand today and in the future. Burger King shared that their guest submitted feedback and ideas have been. Oh, here comes an ad. Okay, well, I knew that wouldn't last. I knew that wouldn't last long. You can go finish reading that story. That's the last time you may have to hear that on this podcast, obviously. Uh it it is it's on my ex-feed if you want to go finish it, but you get the gist of the idea. All right, and this would not be a podcast episode without a dear Abby on a Friday. I have a dear Abby for you. You ready? Okay. Here we go. Dear Abby, I'm done with aggressive demanding request for tips. Dear Abby, it seems that everywhere I go, people expect tips. Yesterday I pulled up to the drive-thru at a cookie store, excuse me, and before I paid or was handed my cookies, the clerk asked, Would you like to leave a tip? I know this has been discussed several times before, my people. I know it's been discussed on the Pat Gray show for sure. My niece recently told me that after she left a tip at a restaurant, the server followed her outside and asked if she didn't have if she hadn't been a very good server because the tip was small. Bitch, you follow me outside, we're gonna have a few words. No, ma'am, you do not follow me outside to ask me about my tip. First of all, we tip very well, so we will never have that problem. We tip more than should be. But anyway, moving on. Uh, I can give you more examples just from my family regarding their experience with tipping. In this economy, I don't feel the 20% rule should apply. Oh, I don't know about that. For the price for if you I think the 20 tip 20% rule is good, even in this economy. If you can't afford to go out to eat, then don't go out to eat. There, do you mean come on? For this price of a lunch for two at a sit-down restaurant these days, the tip costs as much as the small entree. When I go through a drive-thru, I don't feel I need to tip because I'm not inside using their facility. That I agree with. But if I don't, I get a disappointed look from the gal who gets paid to make to make and hand me my drink. What are your thoughts? Tipped out in Idaho. Let's see what Dear Abby says. The server you mentioned may need tips to survive on her sub minimum or minimum wage income. However, a tip should never be requested. And for a server to follow your niece out of a restaurant to discuss a small tip is beyond the pale. Although some establishments suggest tips that can go as high as 35%, most customers give 15 to 20 of the total bill. Since you asked for my opinion, here it is. Quit complaining. If you think you received adequate service, leave a tip, and you will be warmly welcomed at whatever eatery you choose to patron.

unknown: 13:11

Ha ha ha ha!

SPEAKER_00: 13:12

Good for you, dear Abby. Good for you. So when we tip, I I now I feel weird about tipping at a drive-thru. I don't think I would, I don't think I would do that. Now during the pandemic, maybe, but nowadays I go back if I'm getting something from the drive-thru, which is rare, and if it is, it's a Starbucks coffee. Now I order it through the app if it's a Starbucks coffee, and they do have me a request you want to leave a tip, and I'll leave like a two-dollar tip on the app. Come on, they give you a choice of one, two, or five dollars. And it depends on what I'm ordering. If I just order a small drink for myself, I'll give them a two-dollar tip. I know. But as far as like going through a fast food chain drive-through and leaving a tip, no, you're not getting a tip, no. No, I think a tip should be for service in a restaurant, or you know, if you're going to a beauty parlor or if you're going to a massage parlor. What a massage parlor. They don't call them massage parlors anymore. Okay. All right. I we tip uh when we go to I'm not even gonna get into that. Um, let's see. I guess that's it for me. I guess you need a question of the day. I think, oh, the gent and I are going to see Joe Mackey. I'm leading up to the question of the day. Excuse me. Um, the gent and I are going to go see Joe Mackey at a local comedy club here tonight. And if you don't know who Joe Mackey is, look him up. He's a writer for Greg Gutfeld, the Gutfeld Show. And he went on, he's been on tour with Greg too. We've seen Greg Gutfeld in person. He was there, and then he also is an occasional guest on Gutfeld's show. He is hilarious. So we he's coming to Huntsville. So we're gonna go see him tonight. And I so it led me to think, what I needed a good question of the day today, since it's the last episode. But you're gonna get a regular question of the day. Who do you think is the best comedian of all time? Okay, if you can't pick one, list your top three comedians of all time. I can't uh Jerry Fine Jerry Seinfeld for me is number one. I love Jerry Seinfeld. Um, of course, I love I'm sure a lot of people are gonna say George Carlin. Um uh of course there's um Richard Pryor, Gene, is Gene Wilder? Was he a comedian, Gene Wilder? Or was he just a funny an actor who played funny characters? I don't know. Who uh Eddie Murphy? Is he a comedian or was he just an actor who played fun good parts? I don't know. Uh let's see. Uh for me again, it's Jerry Seinfeld. I love his sense of humor. I'm sure there's more out there that I'm missing. But anyway, that's the question of the day. Who is your who do you think is the best comedian of all time? Of course, there's Jackie Gleason back in the day, Don Rickles back in the day. I didn't think Don Rickles very funny, but whatever. You can go way back in time if you wanted to, or just stay current, or just list your top three if you can't pick one. My one is Jerry Seinfeld. I'm picking it, picking him. We've seen him in in almost said we've seen him in concert. We've seen him here in Huntsville, too. All right, well, everybody, this is it. This is it. Last one. All right, I gotta go. Thanks for listening. I hope I covered everything. Bye.