We break down everything you might need for a New Jersey survival kit if you're not from this place. From items you should own to rules you should know to conversations you should be ready to have - if you want to survive in New Jersey, this episode fills you in on everything you need to know about. Whose idea was this? Hebba's idea. Who is Hebba? …

Ostensibly, this episode reviews Fanny's - an Italian restaurant in the blossoming food hub of Bloomfield. But when Don starts speaking to how he orders for groups, we realize this episode is actually a glimpse into the mind of a mad man. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Here is real found audio of what it sounds like when Bonadooch comes by your house to watch a Seton Hall game and you shoot the breeze. We turned mics on and gave you exclusive access to the real life sounds of a good old Bonadooch hang at home. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Mike D has recently read up on some of the historical roots of the legends surrounding the New Jersey Devil, the Garden State's most infamous legend. How was Benjamin Franklin involved? Is this all just the hundreds year old result of a smear job campaign directed to one unfortunately targeted family? Were almanacs the fanzines of their day? Get bo…

This episode has some technical disasters. Broken headphones, weird audio, and even right now I'm posting it from the Denver airport where my flight has been delayed over five hours. And that's all fitting because we talk about NJ's greatest disasters throughout this thrilling piece of audio. We are the only podcast on earth that can have a surpris…

New Jersey is a place of chaos. St. Patrick's Day is a holiday of chaos. New Jersey also has a lot of residents of Irish descent. You will not be shocked to hear that it was very easy for us to find many examples where St. Patrick's Day in New Jersey descended into absolute chaos. You will also not be shocked to hear this one talks a lot about Hobo…

In this episode we interview Shawn Hendricks, the owner of New Jersey's longest operating comic book store. Located in Whippany, this store is really special, and Sean has a lot of experience and philosophy into what goes into running a kick ass comic book store. On top of that, how does New Jersey's proximity to New York City give it historical ti…

Politics in New Jersey is becoming must see. We're currently embroiled in the "Tammy Murphy versus Andy Kim" Senate primary that's getting nastier by the day. Soon we'll have the governor's race, where Steve Fulop, Ras Baraka, and Steve Sweeney have already joined, with more rumored to be eyeing the prize. It's a crazy time. That made me think: how…

Who is the real Bonadooch? The question we get asked the most here at NJITW - after “Why don’t you talk about Bergen County more?” - is "Who is Bonadooch?" Here’s your answer. An in-depth interview with the one and only Bonadooch where no topic is off the table. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio…

You'd think if you have Joe Steinhardt from Don Giovanni Records and Marissa Paternoster of Noun and Screaming Females, you might talk a lot about their legendary impact on New Brunswick's basement scene. Or at the very least about their great new graphic novel, Merriment. Nope. This is New Jersey is the World, so we're talking about the Northeast …

Last week it was announced that the World Cup Finals are coming to New Jersey in a couple years. This is a huge deal. Like, more than many American sports fans might even realize. Mike D and Chris get together to discuss the impact, how it happened, all the ways we hope it goes right, and the many ways we assume it could go wrong. What happens when…

I didn't set out to create controversy. The idea felt simple. "Hey, we talk about Jersey relentlessly on this show, let's go through the list and see which towns we as a collective have and haven't actually been to." I thought it would be basic: Exhaust ourselves reading the list of New Jersey town names and everyone says yes or no and we probably …

Don Fanelli, the Jersey Dude Who Loves Jersey Food, is back! Not just on the podcast, but Don was also recently back in New Jersey, and he visited the legendary Rutt's Hut to try their duck. We talk about that much buzzed about item, but this leads to a WAY TOO THOROUGH breakdown of the entire Rutt's Hut menu, which honestly keeps going and going i…

It's well known that this podcast's participants are big fans of New Jersey. They give it an A+. But that begs the question: what grade do they give each of the other 49 states? Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keith moved to Montclair from Brooklyn six years ago. He considers himself a Montclair guy. He has nothing against New Jersey, but isn't particularly interested in participating in it on a larger level. We ask him the crucial questions about this like: "Do you know this attitude is infuriating to everyone else in the area?" and "Why not drive like …

Today we discuss all the things we think might happen in and around New Jersey in 2024, so that we might build a bingo board for your enjoyment throughout the year. Some of them are very chattered about political moves we expect people to make, for example. But in typical NJITW fashion, our predictions get progressively more off the rails and don't…

Guys, this is crazy. We set up a whole bunch of police scanners and short wave radios last night, and we were able to record Santa's communication with local authorities as he flew around above New Jersey delivering presents last night. This is a stunning glimpse into Santa's strategies in how he handles different areas of New Jersey, what route he…

Here are some of the voicemails YOU left at 973-780-4660 for us. Joined by Nick Fierro for the first time, the Gagootz assemble and react to all things Jersey. A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS LIST IN THIS ONE, plus a whole lot more! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

This episode is a loving tribute to the iconic, wild west television station many of us grew up with: Channel 9. If you were in the New York media market, you were exposed to the weirdness of this TV station, much of which originated out of Secaucus, NJ. In this episode we discuss the station, PLUS Mike D tracked down a daily schedule of Channel 9 …

We're back with our semi-regular series highlighting small businesses around New Jersey, this time with our friend Steve Zig over at Backyard Cinemas! Steve's company has a Jersey origin, a lot of hustle, and is growing fast. By going all over the state setting up mobile screenings, he and his crews see different parts of New Jersey, run into Jerse…

This week, Don Fanelli and myself had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Candia, a writer and editor at the New Jersey Digest. We set out to talk about his list of the 40 best pizzas in the state, but we never got there. Mostly because him and Don have a longstanding bromance and took off running. From restaurant etiquette, to new school fancy plac…

In this very idiotic high concept episode, we pre-suppose the not at all important question: "If New Jersey was in fact a prepared dish cooked in a kitchen instead of a state, which towns would be the ESSENTIAL ingredients?" We had a lot of fun sorting this out but also we imagine there are going to be people telling us we got it wrong. We can't wa…

Newark Airport is a center of gravity for this entire state. Which leads us to ask: What do we hate about EWR? What are the good aspects? Are there any? Also, roughly a dozen manic tangents that have nothing to do with Newark Airport. Plus, Bonadooch tells stories of what it was like building portions of Newark Airport. Also, Geth almost bought a p…

When was the last time you were really afraid? Bonadooch and MikeD are joined by our good friend urban explorer and photographer Max Boncina. We spend an hour swapping stories about the people you meet in abandoned asylums, the horror of Jersey mosquitoes, what really happens in the Paris catacombs and the kind of pranks that go down really well in…

We asked you to leave us voicemails about Halloween, Mischeif/Goosey/Cabbage Night, and freaky New Jersey stuff in general - and man did you deliver. In this episode Geth, Andrea, Bonadooch and Mike D answer a slew of your voicemails - some quite bizarre, some full of nostalgia for this time of year, some downright freaky. THANK YOU to everyone who…

This week Mike D interviews illustrator Michael Jasorka, who's made a slew of Jersey focused graphic novels, and just last year put out an illustrated version of the real employee handbook from the infamous Wildwood attraction known as CASTLE DRACULA. This is some real deal Jersey love on display, and we're lucky that Michael shared his words with …

On this week's show, we look at a brief history of Halloween, both overall and in relation to New Jersey in general. But as Mike D predicted, this really becomes an avenue to go down 145 rabbit holes and also follow 3,000 tangents. It is a fun, rambly mess in the best way. LET'S SAVE MISCHIEF NIGHT! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See…

We are here with a mega-episode focusing on places in New Jersey that are genuinely scary. Which Weird NJ spots actually send shivers? What are some under-discussed places that will freak you out? Halloween MATTERS in this state and October is upon us. Let's talk about places all over this great Garden State of ours that produce true fear. Get bonu…

John Cozz is a musician. He's a coffee roaster. He's an artist. He's a music label runner. He's a filmmaker now, too? Most of all, he is a true lover of New Jersey and one of the most vital manic minds making DIY art in our great state. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

In this episode we welcome esteemed New Jersey Senator BOBBY GOLD BARZ to the New Jersey Corruption Hall of Fame! First we discuss the accusations against Senator Menendez, the insanity of his money jacket and gold bars, as well as the in-the-moment-as-we-recorded news that Andy Kim was going to primary him. Then on top of all that Mike D breaks do…

Geth has finally gone to the infamous Belmont Tavern in Belleville, and he and Don Fanelli are here to talk about it. This springs into a discussion the tiers of Italian food - from street food all the way up to fine dining. And a surprisingly thoughtful though admittedly un-researched conversation about immigration, assimilation, real estate, and …

Chris Christie was asked to create a playlist of “songs that stir his soul”. With an assist by special guest Jody Bergen County the NJITW crew examines this playlist track by track. Join us for the most judgmental, petty episode of NJITW yet! But we know you’re all going to agree with us. Sure, “Thunder Road” is a great song - but that’s the best y…

It's Geth and Bonadooch this week, checking in with each other about how summer has gone and what they hope to do in the final days of the season. You might not be shocked to hear this turns into a lot of screaming about handjobs, but you might be surprised at who's leading the charge on that. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast…

The town of West Orange is fining Bagels by Jarrett over $1,000 a day for having window shades. This has created a ton of chatter in the New Jersey online world, ranging from "Just put the window shades up," on one end all the way to "This represents authoritarianism and we must rally behind our beloved bagel shop that barely even serves bagels." I…

Have you heard the nurses of one of New Jersey's largest and most influential hospitals are on strike? Have you been surprised there hasn't been more press or political speech in relation to it? Us too. Luckily, one of the striking nurses, Carol Tanzi, came and spoke to us. She filled us in on the picket line, what caused the walkout, and why it's …

It's always a joy to talk to someone who has a different view of New Jersey due to their unique job - and private investigator (and author!) James Lynch is here to tell us what it's like from his very unusual perspective. Has he ever had to crack skulls during a stakeout in Bayonne? Listen and find out. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast.…

Geth recently had the chance to bring his four year old son to the Land of Make Believe, an amusement park he hasn't been to in over 35 years. It's located in the small Warren County town of Hope, which we assume was named as such because people really felt like they needed it. First things first - the Land of Make Believe RULES and is worth your t…

Gethard is camping somewhere in the hinterlands of northwest Jersey, so Mike D takes the helm this week! He sat down with Mark Bucci from the band Brewster. What started out as a conversation about their new record quickly turned into a deep discussion on Rahway. Did you know Rahway has a deep, long running DIY music scene? Neither did we. Have a l…

I first came to know of Wheeler Antabanez when he ran an incredible website about the Bin, the haunted asylum in the hills of West Essex County that was a huge part of my high school lore. Then over the years we became part of the same Weird NJ inner circles, and I've long admired his obsession with going to the exact types of places in New Jersey …

It's the best time of the month, everyone: when all of the creators from NJITW get together and listen to *your* voicemails. Usually this is reserved for the Turnpike tier patrons over at our patreon, but we had so many amazing voice mails this month that we decided to put some here in the main feed. Don't worry, Patrons, we saved the real batshit …

In this edition of our semi-regular series featuring conversations about Jersey's largest city, we talk with Gerald Flores, co-founder of the Brick City Run Club. We talk about how he came to start a running club in Newark, how people can participate, and if there's anything inherently activist (if not political) about helping people get a street l…

The great Pete Genovese returns to the show! NJ.com's culture and food writer, the former steward of the Munchmobile, a guy we like so much we once had him do a live show at Asbury Park with us where we knighted him. Pete's written a new book on the Jersey Shore and it rules. We talk about that and a whole lot more. You can check out the book right…

Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we interview New Jersey musician Brian Fallon. As a music fan, you probably know him from his many solo albums or his group work with The Gaslight Anthem. As a New Jersey fan, you might know him as "someone who did the local scene proud and is also personal friends with Bruce Springsteen now, which is wild." We talk about all of these top…

Some things in this state are perfectly named. We should stop messing with them. Some other things desperately need new names. We have suggestions for those new names. This episode is kinda nuts but also pretty great. Brought to you by David LaMorte, one of our favorite artists! Check out his work at End of Elm in Morristown now through the end of …

In this episode we ask the very simple question: What are the seven deadly sins of New Jersey? Are the same old ones like sloth and lust and all that nonsense? Or are there Jersey specific behaviors/ideas/ethics that cross a red line we don't accept in these parts? This episode is brought to you by one of our favorite artists, David LaMorte. You ca…

We're here today having a dream conversation with Star-Ledger legend Jerry Izenberg, largely about his new book "Baseball, Nazis, and Nedick's Hot Dogs: Growing Up Jewish in the 1930s in Newark". Jerry is an absolute gem: at 92 years old, he's full of nearly a century's worth of amazing stories about Newark. I've long admired him and it was an hono…

In this episode, Mike D poses a simple but important question: what rules are out there in New Jersey deserve to be broken? From unspoken rules to laws targeting specific groups to traffic laws, we all know some rules shouldn't be honored as written 100% of the time. I also want to cop to the fact that I, Chris Gethard, got a little extreme during …

New series alert! In this new show we talk to the great New Jersey comedian Nick Fierro about his upbringing in the small Passaic County town of Totowa. While many North Jersey people might know Totowa as "that town you pass through quickly on Route 46" or "isn't that where Midgetville is?", this episode makes a solid argument that Totowa, NJ may h…

In this special Mothers' Day episode of NJITW, we discuss NJ moms: what unique qualities do they have? What might one expect from a Jersey specific mom? What makes them so badass? This is a fun one. Happy Mothers' Day! Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…