About the Hosts

Every episode we blast anyone who gets in our way. We bring critical thinking, skepticism, and irreverence to any topic that makes the news, makes it big, or makes us mad. It’s skeptical, it’s political and there is no welcome mat.

And now your hosts, Cecil & Tom…

Cecil and Tom have been friends for over 20 years and in addition to making family and friends laugh whenever they get together, they enjoy bringing their own unique and crass brand of humor to the studio for listeners to enjoy. What you hear is really just two friends getting together to discuss news and politics… mixed with some foul language and inappropriate jokes. The explicit tag is there for a reason. And that reason is Cecil & Tom.

Cecil

Cecil is a 40-something de-converted Christian, Ex- Republican, one-time Woo-believer and former conspiracy theorist. He’s all better now. He lives with his wife in Chicago. He has two associates’ degrees in culinary and patisserie arts, a BA degree in philosophy, and a Masters in New Media. He makes a living as a new media professional. None of these things qualify him as an authority on anything. He can however, prepare a meal that will make you have a fit of existential anxiety then he’ll give you advice on the best way to tweet about it. He’s never rode in a submarine.

Check out Cecil’s cooking video series “Season Liberally”
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Tom

Tom is a great lover of sandwiches and the meats and cheeses within them.  He has a degree in English Literature, which, along with three bucks and a kind word, might be enough for a cup of coffee.  A husband, father, half-hearted idealist, and sometimes poet, Tom’s ire is raised before he is every morning.  Tom earns his keep staring numbly downward while listening to people complain about real estate.  He is also afraid of birds.

Check out Tom’s blog Dangerous Letters

 

 

50 comments on About the Hosts

  1. Mike Brudenell says:

    Well that about sums it up. Fucking brilliant. And Tom, I didn’t realize you were so photogenic.

  2. Matt McLeod says:

    Honestly I thought seeing you would ruin your podcast for me indefinitely. Luckily you look like you sound, compliment?! Great pod-casts guys, keep it up.

  3. Gina says:

    Damn, I was imagining Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp. My fantasies are ruined and I think I need a fork to take my eyeballs out.

  4. cap51160 says:

    I love your podcast more than a fresh cool breeze during a summer heat wave….ok I’m shittin’ youz guyz. Your shows are lively and informative and provide a fix that only a crack head could appreciate…Of course this is where I switch to the however part….Please limit the use of the f word and research additional informatio on the topics you comment on beforehand. I find myself wanting to know whether the stories you report have confirming facts or additional bits of information only to hear from you that I don’t know if blank is true. Of course, I’m noticing this because I am on an obsessive-compulsive quest to refute the bullshit reported through the liberal media. Wait a minute, Rush took control of my body and made me type that phrase. I’m back now. Wow, being possessed by a blowhard, pill popping, hate spewing bigot for a moment is terrifying. Anyhow, I have way too many kool-aid drinking family members who belive the only source more accurate than Fox news (I still get agitated typing the ultimate oxymoron Fox News) or Rush “Shithead” Limbaugh is the Lord’s ultimate publication the Bible. In the words of Sheriff Bart from Blazing Saddles, “Keep up faith Brothers” you’re providing antibodies to keep the growing group of skeptics, Agnostics and Atheists from infection.

    1. Harlee says:

      Are we related? Your family sounds a lot like mine. 🙁

  5. Rowan Lewis says:

    Hey guys, it’s a great show and all, but could you please use words like “fuck” more often?

    Thanks!

  6. dusty says:

    Okay. Now I can place those voices with a face. And oh my, what a couple of hotties you are. Putting those visions in my wank bank for sure…..and Tom, loving the blonde moment.
    Lovin the podcast….
    Dastardly Dusty from UK x

  7. RipleyP says:

    The photos were as expected given the self-deviatory comments of the hosts; I did however love the bio’s to go with them. I have to write those things for work and I hate the sales action, so much nicer for you guy’s to just say stuff.

    RipleyP
    Gympie
    Australia
    To imagine this place just think of the hillbilly god with an Australian Accent and you get where I am.

  8. John Iscariot says:

    Well, Tom, we now know what would happen if Rapunzel ever mated with George Peppard during his A-Team phase…

    Cecil looks relatively normal – this is, of course, assuming – that ‘New Media’ isn’t a euphemism for ‘Failed Lenin Impersonator’ – he isn’t the gray-looking guy

  9. Rhys says:

    Ahoy-hoy from down under,
    I was listening to episode 61 and thought you might like to read the book “Why we get fat and what to do about it”,by Gary Taubs. The book looks at the farce that is dieting and shows the chemical processes involved in getting fat or losing weight.
    Anyway, love the show guys, have a good one.
    Thanks

  10. Lisa M says:

    Just discovered you guys (via Skeptalk); started listening a few days ago and love you in entirely inappropriate ways. I’ll leave a rating on Itunes as soon as I can escape my steel-clad workplace (which even the mightiest wi-fi signal cannot penetrate).

    I used the word “penetrate.” 🙂

  11. Jeanne says:

    Hi guys! Your show is a great escape from the conservative, corporate world I stumbled into and from my family who thinks woo-woo should be preserved as part of the African-American heritage.
    I listen to your show during my commute, or during my morning run, which is not really a safe practice because I often alternate between laughing out loud and saying ‘what the fuck!’, while listening. I would not be surprised if someone hauls me away, soon.
    Keep up the good work!

  12. permanent3rdgrade says:

    Accidentally came across these guys while looking for more content on Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson’s book.

    Now this is where I go to listen to the authentic voice of God. The banjo playing is a fringe benefit. Emailing these guys is just like praying to God, I got no response! Love the show anyhow.

  13. Thanks! Now I can put some faces to the voices I’ve been listening to for so long. Oddly Tom, you look exactly like I’ve been picturing you 😀 . Thanks for giving the hinterlands of Michigan, a shout out. That’s where I’m from, and it’s my frequent cheapskate destination, considering my family still reside there. Hillbilly God is also a Michigander, as it turns out… just sayin’ 😀 Keep up the mind tingling erudite podcasting! The cats and I are adoring you both, as ever.

    😀
    Brandi (crazy cat lady, Michigander, liberal gun nut, recovering Dungeons & Dragons widow, and occasional emailer to your show )

  14. Pdubyah says:

    I stopped at Cake, and never stopped laughing at “the everything”. Fuckin’ A

  15. Steve from London says:

    Great show guys. You’re twice as good to listen to double speed but the downside is you only last half a long. I always look forward to the next podcast.

  16. Oh my. Oh my. Oh my. What an uncharacteristic pair of podders you make!

    Great to see the faces on top of the necks housing the vocal cords of my favouritest podcast hosts. Really.

    My wife, Fran (She Who Makes The Earth Tremble) is rapidly learning to associate ‘Murkin accents with funny, intelligent, profane insight, and a pretty large dash of compassion, thanks to you two!

    Considering that both of you claim to be dumber than a box of rocks, you really cut through the bullshit in your stories, and you’re a fuck of a lot smarter than every fundie/republican/right-wing nutjob in your stories. Mind you, that’s not setting the bar very high…

    Please keep up the great work, it’s our favourite part of the day now – we sit on the balcony, drinking cider and watching the weather roll in over the mountains, with you guys playing on the iPad. Great way to end the day. Cheers!

    Pete from ɹǝpun uʍop!

  17. Damien says:

    Wow, thankyou i guesS? No really, thankyou 🙂 Love your podcast. Just like Ricky Jervase you guys are no punches pulled, no holes bared, bare back fucking the truth as you see it. If you cant laugh at it, somethings wrong, humour is funniest when its sad but true imo, and i feel you guys do a fantastic job at highlighting important issues in the news and exposing them for the absurdities that they are in the saddest truest fashion. I look forward to the day when we can all look back on these rediculous stories and laugh at there backwards ass nature as a culture rather than just as the fringed group of reality burdened atheist heathens that we are.

    I love that you are helping me enjoy hearing about these monumentally retarded news items and can laugh out loud at them rather than sinking into a puddle of my own tears and pissing my life aware in a depresses stupore. Becuase lets face it, this worlds a little cookoo, and the crazies will always highlight the worst of our anamalistic nature, and its a god send (pardon the prophanity) that we live in a day and age where we can view there acts and say “NO, NNNNNO! Bad Bbbbad . No soup for you!” And move on progressing our society for the betterment of everyone.

    Thanks again Guys keep up the great work.

    Damo

  18. t-gurl10 says:

    Hi, I tried to post my 5-star rating on iTunes but the system refuses to connect for some reason. Luckily, god (*ahem*) invented cut & paste. Here are my comments below:

    I enjoy these podcasts. It is like taking a proverbial Swiffer duster and wiping away years of cobwebs, dust and distorted religious/political crap that this mind has accumulated. My brain feels clearer now, thank you. You two can be funny and light and quickly turn the discussion to skeptically lambaste those in leadership roles who use their powers for selfish and hateful purposes. I appreciate your strong moral fibre for defending the voiceless. Keep podcasting your message. You are developing and growing a big listener audience.

    Btw, I am relistening to episode and laughing at your version of Santa Muerte coming down the chimney for its pound of flesh and blood in a shot glass. Happy Holidays!

  19. Andrew Semple says:

    Hi guys – love your podcast – i had to send you this link

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21325805

    A

  20. ullrich fischer says:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_killing_children_by_selling_Melanies_Marvelous_Measles/?kHVyIbb

    Melanie’s Marvelous Measles – Killing Kids for Fun and to Stick It To The Man

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_killing_children_by_selling_Melanies_Marvelous_Measles/?kHVyIbb

    I’ve started an online petition at the above url asking Amazon to stop selling the above mentioned book whose title I’ve modifed to make it a tad more accurate. I’ve also used the online form on Amazon.com to suggest the title be changed to the above.

    One encouraging thing about this fiasco is that the “positive” reviews of the book on Amazon are almost all ironic including the “most helpful” positive review. Another encouraging development is that one Australian book seller has stopped selling this book in response to an Australian online petition.

    I’ve posted another review of the book on Amazon suggesting that all ironic positive reviewers adjust their rating of this screed to 1 star except for the “most helpful” positive review, so the casual searcher will see the book has a low rating and, if they examine the reviews, will also still see that the most helpful positive review agrees with the most helpful negative review.

  21. Judy Villeneuve says:

    I’ve been listening for about a year to your podcast. I finally got curious about what you guys look like. Needless to say, I am thrilled to be able to imagine you both now while I listen to your excellent show. Especially when Cecil randomly breaks into Hillbilly God. “Ah thawt you wannid that earthquake!”

    Oh my god, you guys are something this middle-aged mom looks forward to every week. Love you both, keep up the good work!

  22. Shannon says:

    I love your podcast. You say that you are very uninformed, but your information is actually pretty accurate, according to the news anyway. I love that you swear, and that you laugh a lot, it’s a refreshing change of pace from other podcasts that are just plain dull and downright depressing when it comes to serious news. Being tactful is great, but sometimes the best medicine is to be straight to the point and direct; and you guys do that. Your insanely entertaining, don’t ever change.

  23. Shannon says:

    sorry wrong Your… I meant You’re

  24. Simon says:

    Fat fucks.

  25. Patrick Smythe says:

    What does “no welcome mat” mean, anyway?

  26. Richard Johnson says:

    Originally thought your podast was a little loud for my fragile British sensibilities, luckily the Skeptics with a K guys softened me up.

    Have sent you a measly $10 (see paypal donation) – that’s over 10 cents an episode, you guys are worth almost twice that, maybe.

    You’ve made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions which, I’m sure scares my fellow train commuters nearly as much as people scrupulously reading religious books on their journey scare me.

    Anyway, keep up the good work.
    Richard

  27. Deano says:

    Greetings from Brisbane Australia.
    Very happy to have found your podcast gentlemen, and so reasonably priced.
    Keep up the good work.
    But please, if I could make just one point of conjector it would be not to let so many Australian arseholes into your comment section.
    There’s so many of them, it feels like London England.
    Deano.

  28. Xtian D says:

    Hello from Beijing. My favorite podcast. Doing my best to increment the China downloads count.

  29. Nick Rubix says:

    Wow your show is loud and pushes the boundaries of my English-ness. Found you guys off the back of Skeptics with a K and I enjoy the way you lighten the mood on a really otherwise horrific story and I even found myself laughing at some religious murders.

    So love the podcast and I love doing bad impressions of Brian Dunning.

  30. John says:

    I love your show, but your (over) use of the f-word detracts from the content. And goddammitt, quit the racist comments and constant white male-bashing.

    1. diss0713 says:

      You could be kidding with this post. So if you are Ha Ha.

      If not.

      1. Using the word Fuck and it’s derivatives does not take away from the content. It helps bring a level of vitriol to the content that we feel is very lacking.
      2. We don’t make racist comments. We are probably the least racist people.
      3. We are white males. We power bash. There is a difference.

      If you like the show: great! If you don’t like the show and want it to be something else: Find another show. There are lots of podcasts out there that might better suit your sensibilities.

  31. NSA-junkie says:

    I would just like to say Gloryhole to you guys. You have a great podcast and just keep on ignoring those bad reviews you are getting. Too many F-words! Pshhh!!!

    You are making one of the top 20ish podcasts out there.

    Your heartfelt conviction and non-theistically inspired moral indignation is well received!

    FYI, anytime I read any religious crazy news, I have your voices in my head reading out the headlines. That’s how ingrained your show is becoming.

  32. WMccreery says:

    I love the podcast and I agree with you about the Abrhamic religions(Jews, Muslims, and Christians) and the evil that they do, but in podcast #94 you lumped Wiccans in with them and I feel I must dis agree. I have known many Wiccans and the worst thing that they guilty of is a little fuzzy thinking and a love of Alt Med. That does not compare to stoning people to death or beating your kids oir not reporting crimes to ousiders. Thanks

  33. Ambiescram says:

    I love you guys and I just wanted to share something that happened recently. I am substituting at a South Korean high school in Shanghai and the students performed a play about couples from four different countries: America, India, England and Japan. Each couple broke up, and when the American couple broke up, everyone got shot (they even brought in toy guns)! The Indian couple couldn’t eat beef, and broke up, the Japanese couple had an obsession with an anime doll and broke up and the British couple fought over a football match and broke up. The ‘Americans are fat’ stereotype was hard enough! Thought you would find this appalling/amusing. Glory hole!

  34. Lol Mahmood says:

    Love the podcast. I only recently found you and I’ve been catching up on back episodes in the most disorienting way I could – from episode 1 AND episode 100 alternately. I’ve just finished 124 and started 37.

    If I have one criticism it’s that you don’t say ‘fuck’ enough. I feel you could correct this egregious oversight by sampling that clip from Four Weddings and a Funeral where posh, floppy haired kerbcrawler Hugh Grant exclaims: “Fuckity fuckity fuckity FUCK” and use it between items on the show. You also need to learn how to pronounce ‘twat’ properly. Americans always seem to get it wrong: it should rhyme with ‘cat’, not ‘cot’.

    Your cooperation is greatly fucking appreciated.

    You need to say

  35. Lol Mahmood says:

    P.s. Glory Hole.

  36. Stimpy says:

    A great big “gloryhole!” to you guys. (And thanks x)

  37. Guilherme says:

    Great show. You guys are able to mix great humor with insights of important things to report and to think about.

    Best podcast of all times.

  38. Anathema says:

    Gloryhole, guys. I am devastated that you look extremely similar to the images I had carefully sculpted of you in my imagination. (Tom, I had the long blond hair right, just not the braids.) You are the most moral people I’ve ever encountered as well as the funniest. I still await each episode with schadenfreude. I wish you really were my friends.

  39. lonomoholo says:

    Nice evolution bit from the onion, for your dining and dancing pleasure. You will probably have to cut and paste the link, because I am about as computer savvy as I am handsome, so not very. It is a short article, so don’t panic Tom.

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/biologists-confirm-god-evolved-from-chimpanzee-dei,35755/

    Steve from Canadia

  40. Chucktherag says:

    Just found the podcast. Nice work! Am quickly trying to listen to back episodes to get caught up.

    Keep the faith!!!

  41. Gil James Bavel says:

    What a couple of absolute STUDS you guys are! I say that, you know, as a white, fiftysomething incel male, so, I don’t mean it in a g–
    Let me start over.

    Hey, guys, it’s Gil, from Kansas! I used to be a Patreon supporter–in fact, you guys were my first experiencce with Patreon! But, then, you know, really bad back, other health issues, so little-to-no income. But, next month that will change and I’ll be back on the Patreon supporter bus! Lookin’ good in your “About the hosts” photo!

    Um, why… erm… why–WHAT’S WRONG WITH STEREOGRAMS? Seriously, I used to help make stereograms from William S. Burroughs’ paintings, and while I’ll admit there is a trick to seeing them, They aren’t snake oil, they don’t belong up there with the other credulous nonsense like astrology, homeopothy and pyramid power. I realize that it’s probably way too late to ask Tom to re-record it, or even fix it in ADR–depending on the size of my Pateronage… Right?

    Anyway, love you guys (but not in that way),

    –Gil

  42. Kelly says:

    Hey Guys , I’m just listening to your Episode 492 where you’re discussing fracking. If you want to add a little more context just google “Frac Gel”.

  43. Thom alascio says:

    Thoughts on trump and Ukraine.
    Ask any of your Trump supporting friends if it would be OK if Biden was to call Putin right now and ask Putin to “investigate Trump for Election interference a coordinating with people in Russia to help him win the election. Announce it publicly on Russian television as well as do an interview on Russia today. If you do all of that when I become elected president I will remove all sanctions between Russia and the United States”. Do you think any of Trump supporters would be OK with that? Do you think the GOP would be OK with that? It’s a decent analogy that I can think of that might , there is actual hope sometimes, get them to change their mind.

  44. Jackie Knoll says:

    Regarding your Podcast of Aug 10 on how much seman a horse ejactuates. We bought a male Standard Bred to breed our female race horses. Nothing happened so we called out the vet to see if he was shooting blanks. The vet handed me what looked to be a foot long, 8 inch wide, white plastic tube and said, “Would you warm this up.” Well I am a female, but it looked to big for me so I asked, “how? What is it?”
    It was an artificial vagina. It had two inner rubber sleeves, and you put warm water into the sleeve next to the outer plastic. I asked, “Do you really think he’s going to fall for this?” Outside the stallion immediately went for it. The vet said, “He’s a guy. Guys always to stick their stuff into something round and warm.”
    I’m 68 years old, but look forward to your Podcast weekly. And yes the horse was shooting blanks.

  45. Sentient Potato says:

    Not going to lie, I had watched roughly 100 episodes of your podcast before I got curious and wanted to see what you guys look like. I was definitely shocked when I matched your voices to your face, in my mind, your voices were switched with each other’s likeness. Just thought that was funny, I love what you guys do keep it up – GLORYHOLE

  46. merrily kincaid says:

    hey guys,

    Listening to ep 569 and wanted to share a couple of other bits of info on misogyny you might not be aware of here in the UK. The most recent statistics on prosecutions for rape and sexual assault in Britain stands at 3%. The 4% figure for women committing violent crimes – nearly 3% of those in this country are made up of women protecting themselves from men in domestic abuse or other violent situations. I don’t know whether this happens in the US but here most girls’ schools are visited by the police when the girls are 11 or 12 years old. They give talks on those things you outlined: wear bright clothing, walk on well-lit streets etc – they also teach us to carry our keys between our fingers, cross the road if you think you’re being followed, and not to shout rape. Rape alarms are handed out as a matter of course (that’s my anecdotal experience among all the female friends I’ve had over the last 47 years).

    It was great to hear you acknowledge the reality all women live through every single day.

    Hope you guys can get over here with the PITA fellas to do some live shows one of these post-covid days. Keep up your excellent and hilarious work!

    Merrily

  47. Ronald Tommy McDonald Jr says:

    Talk about not being comfortable in your own skin. My name is Tommy, bucket head. Be proud of it.

    Tommy Lee Jones.
    Tommy Lee.
    Tommy the football player, most masculine of the three and so on.

    Brah, really?

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