About this episode

Ben Maller previews MallerPalooza 2026 while sharing fun facts and stories.

On this supersized edition of the  Fifth Hour , Ben Maller takes you on another audio road trip, bouncing from the music of  Roy Orbison  to the surprising origin of the  ice cream sundae —which exists thanks to old alcohol laws. Along the way you'll learn about  star berries , population shifts that could reshape the world, and a collection of oddball fun facts worthy of the Maller Militia Hall of Fame. Then it's time for the main event. This is the  official preview of MallerPalooza™ 2026 , the annual celebration of controlled chaos where a vaudeville variety show collides with  David Letterman's Stupid Human Tricks  and  The Gong Show . Ben pulls back the curtain on what separates unforgettable acts from instant disasters, reveals the exclusive celebrity judge for this year's spectacle, and gives newcomers a crash course on what makes the biggest night in Summer overnight sports radio unlike anything else on the air. As if that weren't enough, the  Idiom of the Week  adds one final splash of razzle-dazzle, proving there are no  crocodile tears  when it comes to great storytelling, strange…

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• The Fifth Hour: MallerPalooza Recap · July 17, 2026 · 38 min
• The Fifth Hour: Cheeseburger Index Mail Bag · July 12, 2026 · 44 min
• The Fifth Hour: The Valley of The Fan · July 10, 2026 · 31 min
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