MIDLOTHIAN, IL–Failing is never on anyone’s agenda, but for two friends, Alex Riley and Tony Carrick, failure hit the the duo hard after their career in podcasting. The duo’s podcast, “Hangin’ With Alex and Tony” ended after two episodes. The two cited creative differences.

“I mean, when we started this,” Carrick said, “Alex was so gung ho. So I did it all. I bought all this equipment. I got a web site. I made up a logo and got merch together. We really were on it. Dreaming big. And that first episode, well, we knew that one was going to be rough; you gotta learn sometime, yeah.”

His podcasting partner, Riley, agreed. “I mean, Tony’s a great dude. But I think we just kind of grew apart. At a certain point you just don’t have anything to talk to someone about. I suggested we watch the Sopranos and we talk about that but he didn’t want to get HBO Max.”

“Well, dude, you totally nixed my idea about going to different churches to make fun of the religious people.”

“I just didn’t think that was funny. And besides, I like to sleep in on Sunday.”

The couple sat and sulked for ten minutes before Carrick said, “It’s OK. I mean I still love him–like, ya know, a friend, obviously. But there’s nothing there. I hope that our listeners don’t get too bummed.”

The podcast, which was downloaded once by each man and not by anyone else, was how the duo expected to leave the small suburban town. “We see someone like Rogan who does it. And, like, I can talk for hours about anything with anyone.”

“That’s right,” said Carrick, who then passed the bong to Riley. “We could have done something huge. But that’s OK, like, we’ll try again. Maybe next time we’ll get a female or something in there, too.”