Two Designers Walk Into a Bar

Todd Coats and Elliot Strunk are self-described "creatively curious pals," and that perfectly captures the energy of this show. Two Designers Walk Into a Bar is part of the Evergreen Podcasts network and has more than 100 episodes exploring how familiar designs became iconic. The concept is simple and brilliant: take something everyone recognizes -- a state flag, a book cover, a trophy, tiki bar aesthetics -- and trace the design story behind it. The hosts have a genuine friendship that comes through in every episode. They riff off each other, go on tangents, laugh at their own jokes, and bring a sense of play to topics that could easily become dry in other hands. Their multi-part series on tiki culture, for example, spent three episodes exploring how Polynesian Pop swept through American suburbia from the 1930s to the 1970s, weaving together design history, cultural commentary, and pop culture with real affection for the subject matter. Episodes run about 30 to 45 minutes and the companion website at twodesignerswalkintoabar.com provides images, links, and extras for each episode, which is a nice touch since so much of what they discuss is visual. The show sits comfortably at the intersection of design and pop culture, which makes it accessible to people who would never listen to a straight design theory podcast. If you enjoy knowing the backstory behind the visual world -- why that logo looks that way, how that design trend started -- Todd and Elliot make those stories genuinely fun to hear.