Emma Gretzky Stops By Paulina's Birthday Bash, Wobbly Browns Fan Has A History & The Elf Vs. A Busch Light
Let's have a free for all Friday
It's the final day of work for 2022 for most of you, so I don't want to start any deep subjects like farting on an airplane. Most of you senior VPs who followed me this year on Linkedin for some reason -- guys, as long as Fox News Corp. presents me with a contract I'm not going anywhere! -- will shut it down today at lunch when you bust out the good bourbon and call it a year. You'll finally be able to relax even though there are big boy decisions coming in 2023.
Until then, (when you have to give people pink slips), let's keep it loose around OutKick. In fact, I will issue a decree later today within the OutKick Culture Department that writers (SeanJo) are to keep it loose for the next two weeks.
No big topics. Just pure mindless sludge to help keep people in a good mood and the party going strong.
I've been at the Screencaps game long enough to know how this community will operate the next two weeks. There will be weeknight beers because you have Tuesday off. There will be late-night Taco Bell runs because it's the holiday season and you were at Randy's house playing pool until 1 a.m. Wednesday morning and the Uber driver is heading past the Border anyway.
Randy's off. You're off. Your entire golf league is off so the boys schedule 36 (indoors) for Thursday.
Holiday margaritas with your kids. Cocktails with your wife as she wraps 300 presents and you gamble on college football. 11 a.m. movies in the man caves. Costco runs at lunch for the hell of it and because you're on vacation. Garage beers with Randy after helping him transport an 85" TV that's going to be the grand finale Christmas gift for his family.
It's time to get loose to end 2022.
No serious topics. Set your mind free as we close down another year of life.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
Battery Daddy sucks?
• Reagan B. writes:
The Battery Daddy orgy needs to stop. It is a pretentious urban craze that makes me feel apart from all y'all normal guys. I had this like 15 years ago and realized it sucked after I spent a ton of money on batteries to fill it up and 3 years later the Cs and Ds that no one ever uses anymore leaked and just made a huge mess.
Have a single drawer in the kitchen with AA and AAA batteries, maybe a 9-volt, a few screwdrivers and pliers. The rest should be rechargeable ie flashlights, headlamps ect at this point.
Joe, how much are they paying you to sell this "pet rock"?
Kinsey:
Thanks to Reagan for contributing to 'Free For All Friday', but I will not stand for such Battery Daddy slander!
Air fryer steaks
• Jon F. from right down the road from me writes:
I just tried air-frying a steak a few months ago to prove my wife wrong--Never a smart idea but I was 100% certain I would be right by a mile... I was not. The story goes my wife's sister and her boyfriend live in NYC in an apartment on the 19th floor with no balcony.
She's face timing her one Sunday night and the sister says she's gotta go because Adam brought home some nice steaks and he's just about to pull them from the air fryer. My wife was unfazed, and they said their goodbyes. I figured this was just some lazy millennial thing (I still refuse to believe I'm a millennial at nearly 41) and immediately discounted it as stupid.
The wife then states her sister says it's really good and you can't tell the difference. I called bullsh*t and said there is no way it wouldn't be dried out and rubbery. Later that week I stopped by Meijer on the way home from work and picked up four NY strip steaks to test it out. Seasoned them the same as I normally do (olive oil, salt, pepper, nothing else) and put one in the air fryer. If I remember correctly, it only took about 10 minutes to cook. Let it rest for about 3 minutes and then tried it.
It was cooked perfectly, had good flavor and was juicier than I had imagined. I was pleasantly surprised. By no means am I saying it is better than a steak cooked on a traditional charcoal grill or even a Traeger, but minus the grill marks, I would be hard-pressed to tell the difference on a taste test with my gas grill. And no, I have not air-fried another steak since. And yes, I cooked the remaining three strip steaks on my gas grill that I already had fired up.
• Michael S. writes:
The wife and I just got into the air fryer game about 6 months ago. After the mandatory fries and pizza rolls, we decided to expand and have made both steaks and chicken breasts. I must say that, while the meat was not at grill level, both the chicken and the steak are as good if not better then stove top cooking.
• Adam M. writes:
Air fryer steak is absolutely better than you'd expect. Season it well, it'll crust up while maintaining a medium-rare to medium cook temp. I like to get the bacon-wrapped 8oz filet from the butcher so that it has a nice thickness…I'm a weber charcoal grill guy too. 100% endorse air fryer steak, especially if you're only cooking for one.
• Jason DeM. in Michigan writes:
An air-fryer is a decent method for a ribeye. Not quite as good as cast iron skillet, but for a no-fuss cook, it gets the job done.
• Guy G. in western New York writes in on a subject he knows something about:
Good morning Joe! As you know, I’m south of Buffalo, where all the snow goes. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve cooked a steak indoors. And that includes the Delmonico steaks I did Tuesday, in the cast iron. At our house, the grill stay warm all winter. Smoke prime rib is on the menu this weekend, and will be going into the smoker Saturday morning. (Beef on weck for Saturday night Bills game!)
We have 2 air fryers. They are great. Wings come out great, daughter gets her fries, even fried ravioli comes out great. We use it for making jerky, dehydrating fruits, and a better way to warm up food, and not use a microwave.
There is no reason to ever air fry a steak. None! I may have an addiction, and purchase too many grills. Being cold outside is no excuse not to fire one up. Add extra coal to go faster if you want, long smoke using the Egg if you want. Air frying steaks is a sin, and should be treated as such. Get out to your grill, apologize, and ask for atonement.
• Matt K. writes:
Skeptical on this one, especially since Carl did not post a pic of the steak after he cut it. Might be as brown on the inside as the outside. Broiler is the better indoor option for steak IMO
More interesting about Carl Johnson is that he is a regular guest on VSIN, the sports betting network started by Brent Musburger’s son and now owned by DraftKings. He runs the sports book at the Beau Rivage casino in Mississippi. Super cool guy. Might be some content synergy for you there if you connect with him.
Kinsey:
Here's the AFTER:
Christmas PJ season for adults
• School principal Jason D. writes:
I don't have a Battery Daddy yet so I'm not sure my email privileges are still valid. I have a question for the screencaps community and please forgive me if I have missed this somewhere along the way. We will be on the "Polar Express" tomorrow night.
My wife bought my three kids (10,7 and 5) matching pj's for the train ride. She asked me if I wanted her to order us a set that matched the kids' pj's. I couldn't say no quickly enough. Does this make me a jerk? My kids have no idea what my wife proposed so I don't think they will even care that their parents are not in pj's but there is a little guilt setting in now. Not nearly enough to make me ever change my mind but it is still there.
I have talked about my wife's struggles with not wanting me to spend the night alone due to multiple seizures that I have had over the last couple years. She has started going to a therapist. She'll never get over witnessing my seizures but the therapy is helping. I never put much stock in spilling your guts to a stranger but I have been proven wrong. Not to be a buzzkill but mental health has become a huge issue, especially the last couple of years.
My brother is a police officer and Army Veteran. He struggles with various aspects relating to both of these roles but refuses to talk about it. I would encourage those struggling with mental health issues to find someone, professional or not, to talk to.
As a high school principal, tonight is almost as good as Christmas Eve because tomorrow is the last day before a 2 week Christmas break. It has been a rough stretch to get here. Thanks for giving me an outlet to enjoy on those tough days. Merry Christmas Joe!
Kinsey:
First of all, Screencaps readers were awesome when Jason D. wrote earlier this year on his struggles with seizures and how he wanted to provide his wife with a relaxing 40th birthday away from the craziness of their house so she could relax for a minute.
As Jason says in his email, it's been an emotional rollercoaster for both of them this year as life has started to pile up on them. You know what, the matching PJs thing just adds more unnecessary stress.
Jason just wants the kids to have a nice night without turning it into an Instagram photoshoot. He's like 99.9% of the guys reading this.
I recommend hot chocolate, candy canes, the kids on a tablet during the ride home (*if necessary), Christmas music on the SUV radio, and stopping at Starbucks so the wife can get a nice drink. Oh, and if Jason has time, he should try to locate a house in the area (use Facebook search, if necessary and you're still on that app) that has a big Christmas light display. Take the family by. I'm telling you, it goes a long way toward calming the family.
Merry Christmas to Jason, his wife, and all those who've had one of those years. The Screencaps community has your back.
Elf on the Shelf
• Kyle T. in KC (Missouri) writes:
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your work and the contributions of the readers of Screencaps. The topics within the column lead to me learning something new or researching something every day!
The Elves (yes plural in my house) have been a topic of contention at times, but I must give credit where credit is due. My wife purchased an elf around kit this year. Link included below.
This takes the issue of planning a scene and making sure supplies are available out of the equation. There is a guide book and labeled individual packaging from some point in November through Christmas Day. This has been a life saver as my wife works nights and elf duty has fallen on dad’s shoulders.
I highly recommend even with the 80 dollar price tag because as someone mentioned today, they are only little for so long and seeing them wake up and chase down those darn things is a pretty great start to the day.
This is a little deep for 'Free For All Friday' but I'll allow it because it's filled with so much passion
• Michael L. writes:
I thought I would add to the worst people lists.
1. Any guy who plays women's sports and the assholes who allow/praise them.
2. Woke morons that bitch about pronouns.
3. Anyone named Keith Olbermann.
4. People that wear a mask while driving alone.
5. People that stop when the sign says, "keep moving, change lanes later."
Kinsey:
Now that Michael has released that energy, he can get on with the holidays. I like it.
TikTok
• J writes:
Why Outkick still has a TikTok account, I'll never know. Been preaching about it for years. J
Kinsey:
You'll have to take that up with the OutKick social media management team and upper management. I have my hands full with the OutKick Culture Department management of myself and SeanJo.
Farting on airplanes
• Anonymous writes:
My wife is a flight attendant on a major airline.
Give the crew grief, you get what's coming to you.
Allegedly.
Kinsey:
Now that's something I wasn't expecting to hear this morning. This is breaking news. The flight attendants are dropping silent bombs in the aisles as payback for annoying passengers?
I need flight attendants (anonymously, of course) to let me know how prevalent crop dusting is within the industry.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
BTW, thanks to anonymous for keeping 'Free For All Friday' LOOSE!
The Ts are back on the run in France
• Mike T. and Cindy T. have arrived at their next undisclosed location in Uzes, France:
This is the living room, kitchen, dining room, Uzes, France $166 total , 4 bedrooms 3 baths , two living rooms.
Robin Meade
• Dale A. writes:
I’m surprised I haven’t seen an uproar about Morning Express with Robin Meade getting cancelled on CNN Headline News. It was the only thing on CNN/Headline News that wasn’t political and gave a good run through the news. I guess the every morning “Salute to Troops” was too much for them. It feels like a major breakup for me after almost twenty years. Hottest network news anchor of all time. Screen cap readers - prove me wrong.
Kinsey:
And a proud Buckeye.
Let's get after it. You made it to the finish line. Enjoy yourself. Go have the best two weeks of your life. And don't forget to stop by Screencaps at 11 a.m. after you wake up from partying with Randy.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com