The Pen Pals Podcast

Big Money Players Network and iHeartPodcasts

Every week, your pen pals Daniel Van Kirk and Rory Scovel respond to the letters you send them on topics ranging from free will to freeway etiquette, from mental health to manatees. Seek advice. Tell a story. Vent. Send a letter. It's your podcast, we just talk about it.

  • 29 minutes 22 seconds
    7 Interesting Facts About Black History Month!

    Welp, I'm still fighting this cold but very glad to be back in LA for 48 hours! Tonight, I talk about shooting the Bear, the only time I HATE Chicago, and the Holi-Days like, Work Naked Day! Then I cover 7 Facts About Black History Month that you may not know! And as always, I close out the show with Ronda and The Tribune.

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    3 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 36 minutes 9 seconds
    Sick Day Top 10!

    I’m finally back home in LA but for one night! Gonna tell you about my car getting broken into and how I’m a bit under the weather before I read your emails, and cover the Holi-Days like Yodel for Your Neighbors Day! Then I give you my Sick Day Top 10 and as always, I close out the show with Ronda and The Tribune! And for Premium Subscribers, I’ve got last week’s News From Germania that I didn’t get to read!

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution. Email the show at [email protected]!

    27 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 47 minutes 43 seconds
    15 Words Derived From Mythological Creatures!

    Plus, I’m in Punta Cana and spending the night talking to you! Tonight we talk about my trip, watching the Bears Game in a hotel lobby, read your emails, and cover the Holi-Days like National Take the Stairs Day! And as always, I close out the show with Ronda and The Tribune! 

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    13 January 2026, 10:30 pm
  • 49 minutes 20 seconds
    It’s A Midnight Mailbag Episode!

    It’s A Midnight Mailbag Episode! I’m starting out 2026 by reading your messages to the show! I also extol the good word of Facebook Marketplace, talk about my outlook for the new year, and cover the Holi-Days like, National Man Watcher's Day! And as always, I close out the show with Ronda and The Tribune! 

    Premium Subscribers, don’t forget to stick around after the closing theme for another addition to the Midnight Air Playlist.

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    6 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 56 minutes 26 seconds
    Part 2 of Favorite 5 from 2025 w/ Lissa Rubin!

    We close out our lists of the 5 favorite things we watched from Movies and TV in 2025! But before we do that, I tell you some Rochelle news, and cover the Holi-Days like, National Buffet Day! Then we close it out with Ronda and The Tribune! As a bonus for Premium Subscribers, we have one extra honorable mention and talk about the Netflix drama, Adolescence.

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    31 December 2025, 1:49 am
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
    Favorite 5 from 2025 w/ Lissa Rubin!

    It’s the end of the yesar as we know it and Lissa Rubin is joining me to rundown our 5 favorite things we watched from Movies and TV in 2025. And before that, I talk about why I’m recording this show in Atlanta, the Chicago Bears game, and we cover the Holi-Days like, National Eggnog Day! Then we close it out with The Tribune!

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    23 December 2025, 5:00 am
  • 45 minutes 52 seconds
    Dick Van Dyke is 100!

    In honor of this legend, I’m telling you 10 Facts About Dick Van Dyke that you may not know. Plus I talk about the loss of Rob Reiner, read your messages, and cover the Holi-Days like, National Emo Day!

    And for Premium Subscribers, I dig into the Winter Solstice and why we should celebrate it! 

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    16 December 2025, 5:00 am
  • 55 minutes 20 seconds
    My Top 10 Winter Movies!

    Plus I talk about going to see Stand By Me Live! And the viewing party I joined for the Bears vs. Packers game and so much more! All that in addition to The Tribune from Rhonda and the Holi-Days like Magnum P.I. Day!

    Premium Subscribers can stick around after the theme for my 11-20 Rankings of Winter Movies and a great Christmas song to close things out!

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    10 December 2025, 12:09 am
  • 55 minutes 23 seconds
    A Strange European Christmas Ritual!

    I also fill you in on my Thanksgiving in Rochelle, my love of Death By Lightning, and I’ve got some BIG thoughts on some recent customer service experiences. Plus we cover The Tribune from Rhonda and hit the week’s Holi-Days like Bathtub Party Day!

    Premium Subscribers can stick around after the theme for my song of the week and also don’t forget to check the Patreon page if you wanna see how perfect scalloped corn is made.

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    2 December 2025, 5:00 am
  • 46 minutes 1 second
    Top 10 Movies with Bagpipes!

    And I tell you about my weekend in Indiana, Kinanesgiving, before reading your emails, and we cover The Tribune with Rhonda! Plus I have a huge soda water issue at the airport and we hit the Holi-Days like Spitesgiving!

    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    25 November 2025, 11:12 pm
  • 38 minutes 50 seconds
    How Pumpkin Pie Became The Thanksgiving Dessert King!

    Plus so much to tell you about my weekend in St. Louis, my review of The Running Man, your emails, The Tribune with Rhonda, and the Holi-Days like National Blow Bagpipes Day!
    As a bonus for Premium Subscribers, I’ve got the story about an unlikely place in St. Louis where I heard this week’s post-show song!


    Thank you to Aaron Brungardt for engineering, mixing, and production expertise, Geoffrey Tice for artwork, Bobby TBD for theme music, and All Things Comedy for their support, production, and distribution.

    Email the show at [email protected]!

    18 November 2025, 9:54 pm
  • More Episodes? Get the App