The Morning X with Barnes & Leslie
The Morning X with Barnes & Leslie is a deep dive into the world of popular culture with new episodes every weekday. Join award-winning hosts Steve Barnes (Atlanta) and Leslie Fram (Nashville) as they fly through the latest TV, music, movies, celebrity sleaze, and pop culture observations from the crazy world around us. Follow and listen on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio App, Pandora or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to the show in Atlanta on 99X (100.5 FM) or via the 99X app. Others options include Apple Music (search 99X), Alexa and more.
Episodes
The Morning X continues their conversation with Brendan Brown of Wheatus, who breaks down how a viral internet trend resurrected the band's career and led to a surreal acknowledgment from arguably the "greatest record producer of all time." Brown compares the band's current independent status to "owning a deli," before launching into a terrifying story about a disastrous festival in the Arctic Circle where the headliners dropped ou...
The Morning X catches up with Brendan Brown of Wheatus to discuss the enduring legacy of "Teenage Dirtbag" and how a song about outcasts found a second life on TikTok nearly 25 years later. Brown opens up about the band's fiercely independent operation, revealing that booking them today requires nothing more than a direct email to the band members themselves. Finally, the interview drops a bombshell regarding the high-pitched "fema...
The Morning X concludes the "Ass on the Line" trivia saga as the final male contestant is exiled to the parking lot, leaving the remaining women to battle for U2 tickets. Creative censorship becomes necessary as the ladies resort to using name tags and scotch tape to stay within broadcast standards, while one fully clothed "superfan" infuriates the room by answering nearly every question correctly. Finally, the competition com...
The "Ass on the Line" trivia contest continues as the questions get harder and the contestants get significantly colder. While one player infuriates Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy by knowing the answers to everyone's questions but his own, another participant seems shockingly comfortable with the lack of clothing. The segment takes a chaotic turn when someone is threatened with ejection for getting too close with a camera, and a former ...
The Morning X kicks off a high-stakes trivia contest where five "very attractive" listeners compete for U2 tickets, with the penalty for wrong answers being the removal of an article of clothing. The lineup includes a past loser from a "mayonnaise contest" and a husband whose pregnant wife "demanded" he strip to secure better seats for the show. Chaos ensues immediately as the contestants struggle with basic questions, leading to a...
The Morning X welcomes investigative reporter Justin Gray, who uncovers a massive pot of "free money" sitting in state accounts and explains how he forced the government to reveal funds that were previously hidden from the public. Barnes puts the search tool to the test and is shocked to discover he is owed royalties from a major Hollywood blockbuster, while Gray shares the story of a coworker who stumbled upon a staggering $8,000 ...
The Morning X continues their conversation with Dicky Barrett, who shares the sentimental story behind his stage name, only to ruin the moment with a punchline about his grandfather, "Bob." A self-proclaimed "superfan" calls in to secure guest list spots, but the interaction turns awkward when she reveals she had no idea the band was actually playing in town that night. Later, the frontman recounts the chaotic true history behind "...
The Morning X welcomes Dicky Barrett, who arrives in a foul mood after realizing he isn't being paid, leading him to claim his "grumpiness" vanishes only when money is involved. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones frontman addresses a controversial "proclamation" from his last visit regarding his sexuality, insisting Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy took his words out of context. Barrett then laments his role as the show's "monkey," recounting th...
The Morning X interviews an 18-year-old entrepreneur who raised over $10 million to launch the world's first "microscopic racetrack," a concept that began as a joke pitched to a nameless billionaire. He explains how he plans to "gamify" fertility using high-tech microfluidic chips, turning a taboo biological topic into a competitive sport comparable to Formula 1. Finally, the conversation covers the surprising list of celebrit...
The Morning X continues the search for the greatest feeling on earth that doesn't involve intimacy, fielding calls about the unconditional love waiting at home, and a specific summer ritual that Barnes rejects because he prefers to "stay clean." The conversation shifts to the emotional high of hearing a band harmonize, leading them to wonder why it took so long for someone to mention music. Finally, a listener's admission about the...
The Morning X debuts a new twist on "Ask Us Anything," handing the reins to a listener who stumps the room with a query about the ultimate form of euphoria outside of the bedroom. Barnes, Leslie, and Crash's answers range from the medically questionable to the strictly biological. Finally, the phone lines open up to reveal the simple pleasures of scalp massages and back cracking, though one caller's description of a "runner's ...
The Morning X interviews a guest who, despite being a teenager, is already physically qualified to leave the planet forever. While Barnes and Leslie feel inadequate comparing their own youth to her resume, the 18-year-old explains the intense survival training required to endure a trip to Mars. She breaks down the massive technological hurdles standing in her way and reveals the iconic 80s hit she plans to blast in her headpho...
The Morning X continues the debate on things listeners refuse to do for any amount of money, uncovering a caller with a specific phobia regarding belly dancers and the hygiene of their navels. Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy unite in a controversial take against a beloved British comedy troupe, claiming that quoting their movies is an immediate relationship dealbreaker. Finally, the show derails into a graphic argument over bathroom...
The Morning X kicks off a debate over an Adam Sandler holiday soundtrack, leading to a confession from someone who claims no amount of money could convince them to sit through his movies. The "You Couldn't Pay Me" conversation escalates as they list their absolute dealbreakers, ranging from Whoopi Goldberg films and Tim Allen to a passionate refusal to ever attend a hockey game. Finally, the segment takes a turn when someone reveal...
The Morning X welcomes the newest shark in the tank, Rashaun Williams, who explains how growing up with his belongings on the curb in Chicago shaped his ruthless financial instincts. The venture capitalist reveals the one crucial question almost all financial advisors fail to ask their clients, and why his background forces him to start every business pitch with a hard "no". The conversation turns painful when Rashaun calculates ex...
The Morning X welcomes Marcus Mumford, who admits to the physical toll of the road and reveals the "athletics program" he now uses to preserve his iconic voice. The singer takes a trip down memory lane to the "smelly little pond" in England that serves as the band's true origin story, before breaking down the "transatlantic" formula behind a famous TV theme song that most people usually skip over. Finally, after sharing a list of i...
The Morning X concludes their legendary interview with Warren Beatty, who refuses to perform a "party trick" while taking another jab at Dustin Hoffman’s desperate need for attention. Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy seek validation for a risqué joke they once told the Dalai Lama to his face, prompting Beatty to critique the punchline and suggest trying it on the Pope next. Finally, the conversation takes a turn when Jimmy re...
The Morning X continues their sit-down with Warren Beatty, who flips the script by psychoanalyzing their love lives, specifically targeting a "dateless" member with a surprising compliment regarding his "insouciance." The screen legend explains why he refuses to discuss his passion projects and why a glowing tabloid story about his family is actually more terrifying than a hit piece. Finally, Beatty addresses his current standing w...
The Morning X welcomes Hollywood legend Warren Beatty, but the interview starts on shaky ground when someone is scolded for standing on the guest's wire. Beatty passionately defends a notorious box office bomb, claiming it was sabotaged by corporate management, before hijacking the interview to grill Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy about their marital status and wedding rings. The segment concludes with a competitive round of t...
The Morning X wraps up their "Kicked Out" segment with a caller whose pilgrimage to Graceland spirals from a romantic VIP tour into a lifetime ban. The segment concludes with the caller explaining how he desperately used his public safety credentials to avoid arrest, followed by the excruciating details of the silent, 8-hour drive home with his furious girlfriend.
This is from the Best of The Morning X vault.
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