The best of The HotSpot (2007) -- the last eight hours

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zanzibarbreeze

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Edited By zanzibarbreeze

 
We've hit the first year of The HotSpot, the second year of The HotSpot, as well as the first year of 1UP Yours and the first month of The Adam Carolla Show. Now it's time to visit the third year of The HotSpot, and the last year featuring Jeff Gerstmann, Rich Gallup, and Ryan, Alex, and Vinny at GameSpot. I've always found it difficult to pick between the three years of The HotSpot, but if you forced me to choose, I might choose 2007 -- it has so many crazy, unbelievably funny moments, and it's hard to imagine anything toppling it from the pyramid's peak.
 

2007 saw the end of what is, for all intents and purposes, 'volume one' of The HotSpot. Though the show continues today, much of its famous cast, including Rich Gallup, Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, and Alex Navarro, left throughout 2007. Despite the departures throughout, the show remained consistently canny and consistently funny, and is nothing short of top quality today.

Timestamps (Part One)
0:07:30 - Korn and Haze
0:30:30 - Movies
1:38:00 - Video game violence, including Manhunt 2
2:46:00 - Various video games
3:38:00 - Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony

Timestamps (Part Two)
0:00:30 - Random clips
0:21:00 - Emails
0:36:00 - Phone calls
2:52:00 - Goodbyes
3:37:00 - Show close 


Just as with the 2006 show, I've split this into two parts. It's actually a few minutes longer than 2006 -- somewhere just over eight hours. A great travel companion? I sure hope so. Here's the first part, and here's the second part (direct MP3 links). Here's the page on our blog if you want more information; follow us on Twitter for timely updates. I'm going to start posting quotes every two days or so, so it's worth following if you want to laugh at some old-timey quotes. You'll need the RSS feed to keep up with the releases. And you can like the show on Facebook, where you'll get updates and quotes just like on Twitter.
 
A quick request, if you'll allow me -- as far as I can tell, the show isn't up on iTunes yet. I don't have iTunes because I don't use any Apple products. I actually downloaded it with the intention of installing it, but then I saw that it wanted to dump a whole lot of other stuff on me like Quicktime, and I didn't want to jump through the hoops. However, I understand that anybody can submit a podcast to iTunes. All the information it needs is coded into the RSS feed already. So if an enterprising Giant Bomb user would be so good as to submit the podcast to the store, I would be very grateful and more than highly appreciative.
 
That's all from me. I hope you guys enjoy this part. Next we'll be continuing with 1UP Yours. Stay on the lookout!
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zanzibarbreeze

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#1  Edited By zanzibarbreeze

 
We've hit the first year of The HotSpot, the second year of The HotSpot, as well as the first year of 1UP Yours and the first month of The Adam Carolla Show. Now it's time to visit the third year of The HotSpot, and the last year featuring Jeff Gerstmann, Rich Gallup, and Ryan, Alex, and Vinny at GameSpot. I've always found it difficult to pick between the three years of The HotSpot, but if you forced me to choose, I might choose 2007 -- it has so many crazy, unbelievably funny moments, and it's hard to imagine anything toppling it from the pyramid's peak.
 

2007 saw the end of what is, for all intents and purposes, 'volume one' of The HotSpot. Though the show continues today, much of its famous cast, including Rich Gallup, Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, and Alex Navarro, left throughout 2007. Despite the departures throughout, the show remained consistently canny and consistently funny, and is nothing short of top quality today.

Timestamps (Part One)
0:07:30 - Korn and Haze
0:30:30 - Movies
1:38:00 - Video game violence, including Manhunt 2
2:46:00 - Various video games
3:38:00 - Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony

Timestamps (Part Two)
0:00:30 - Random clips
0:21:00 - Emails
0:36:00 - Phone calls
2:52:00 - Goodbyes
3:37:00 - Show close 


Just as with the 2006 show, I've split this into two parts. It's actually a few minutes longer than 2006 -- somewhere just over eight hours. A great travel companion? I sure hope so. Here's the first part, and here's the second part (direct MP3 links). Here's the page on our blog if you want more information; follow us on Twitter for timely updates. I'm going to start posting quotes every two days or so, so it's worth following if you want to laugh at some old-timey quotes. You'll need the RSS feed to keep up with the releases. And you can like the show on Facebook, where you'll get updates and quotes just like on Twitter.
 
A quick request, if you'll allow me -- as far as I can tell, the show isn't up on iTunes yet. I don't have iTunes because I don't use any Apple products. I actually downloaded it with the intention of installing it, but then I saw that it wanted to dump a whole lot of other stuff on me like Quicktime, and I didn't want to jump through the hoops. However, I understand that anybody can submit a podcast to iTunes. All the information it needs is coded into the RSS feed already. So if an enterprising Giant Bomb user would be so good as to submit the podcast to the store, I would be very grateful and more than highly appreciative.
 
That's all from me. I hope you guys enjoy this part. Next we'll be continuing with 1UP Yours. Stay on the lookout!
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BulletproofMonk

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#2  Edited By BulletproofMonk

Can't thank you enough for these. Awesome job, dude.

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LordXavierBritish

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#3  Edited By LordXavierBritish

God yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessss.

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deactivated-5f00787182625

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Hells yeah! Nearly finished the second part of the 2nd year then I'll go through these ones. 
 
@ZanzibarBreeze: Keep being awesome.    
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Pie

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#5  Edited By Pie

Awesome, this should go well with torchlight

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ckeats

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#6  Edited By ckeats

Yes the haze bit! This takes me right back to high school all over again.

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Crono11

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#7  Edited By Crono11

I really like these. Please keep doing them, they're awesome.

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zanzibarbreeze

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#8  Edited By zanzibarbreeze

By the way, I slapped in two Suburban All-Stars hits at the end of part one.

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countinhallways

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#9  Edited By countinhallways

Again dude, thanks a million for all your work on these podcasts.

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Slaker117

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#10  Edited By Slaker117

Thanks for doing these dude! Can't wait to listen.

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JJWeatherman

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#11  Edited By JJWeatherman

Yes! 
 
I'm actually done with Forza 3, so I'm not sure when I'll listen to this, but thanks!

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mementomori

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#12  Edited By mementomori

Thanks duder!

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Gruff182

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#13  Edited By Gruff182

Good job.

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zero_

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#14  Edited By zero_

Tor Thorsen! I remember that guy, he was effin' hillarious... reminds me of Thor Odinson...

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Skytylz

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#15  Edited By Skytylz
@ZanzibarBreeze: The 1up yours one was great, Are you planning on doing another one?  I didn't listen to the hotspot so if you are I'm looking forward to it!
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zanzibarbreeze

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#16  Edited By zanzibarbreeze
@Skytylz said:
" @ZanzibarBreeze: The 1up yours one was great, Are you planning on doing another one?  I didn't listen to the hotspot so if you are I'm looking forward to it! "
I'm happy to say that you can expect the 2007 and 2008 recaps for 1UP Yours to be released over the next two/three months.
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donchipotle

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#17  Edited By donchipotle

I only wish that Les Wampas was in 2007. I remember that being hilarious. 
 
 
Still, this will be a joy to listen to.

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Skytylz

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#18  Edited By Skytylz
@ZanzibarBreeze: Excellent, I can't wait!
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deactivated-59d1ab87a7ca4

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These are amazing! Keep it up man!

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LaszloKovacs

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#20  Edited By LaszloKovacs

I love these so much! You totally got me through my spring break, and I'm pumped for this and the Adam Carolla collection. 
 
Keep up the awesome work!

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sameeeeam

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#21  Edited By sameeeeam

Can't thank you enough for these.

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deactivated-6109c8479bb3d

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@ZanzibarBreeze: 
 
Oh maaaaaaaaaaaannn...
This is a serious nostalgia trip. I just discovered your series (by stumbling on this thread, nonetheless), but it's better late than never.
I also think that it's a great history lesson to all GBers that were not familiar with these high-larious bits of the past.
 
Rich Gallup was a really, really good host. That Jeff-Rich banter: PRICELESS, son.
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GideonAmos

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#23  Edited By GideonAmos

You truly are one mean podcast recapping machine! Thanks a lot for these recaps!

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spazmaster666

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#24  Edited By spazmaster666

Man, I had forgotten how crazy the Hot Spot became after Rich left and Jeff started running the show. I mean that one episode where they played that messed-up Master Chief fanfic in its entirety was priceless.

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monetarydread

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#25  Edited By monetarydread

Thank you for the effort @ZanzibarBreeze: your work is greatly appreciated.

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craigbo180

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#26  Edited By craigbo180

I have really enjoyed listening to the HotSpot recaps because I never got chance to listen to them back in the day! Many thanks duder!

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deyanne

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#27  Edited By deyanne

what kind of crazyman are you making all of these? But seriously man i can't thank you enough for these, i just got done listening to 2005 and 2006 back to back yet i can't wait to start listening to this, thanks a lot again.

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Slaker117

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#28  Edited By Slaker117

Man, listening to all the Jeff stuff at the end really bummed me out. But then I came back here to Giant Bomb and remembered that it all worked out pretty well.
 
:D
 
Love this site.

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zanzibarbreeze

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#29  Edited By zanzibarbreeze
@Slaker117 said:
" Man, listening to all the Jeff stuff at the end really bummed me out. But then I came back here to Giant Bomb and remembered that it all worked out pretty well.  :D  Love this site. "
Actually, I'm really happy with the ending. The close for the show came from earlier in the year but it seemed to fit perfectly, real somber.
 

Rich: I like it here.
Jeff: You're good at this. You should do this again some time.


Almost brought a tear to my eye. :)
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Dany

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#30  Edited By Dany

God damn, 2007 was so damn crazy!

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zagzagovich

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#31  Edited By zagzagovich

Huge thanks for all the work. Kind of wish there was a hidden year somewhere in between 2006 and 2007 just to have 8 more hours of podcasts.

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FateOfNever

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#32  Edited By FateOfNever

Love these, thanks for the great work.

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Slaker117

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#33  Edited By Slaker117
@ZanzibarBreeze:  It was well done, though by it's nature, a total downer. So glad we got all of this out of it though. As cool as it would have been for the guys to still be with something as huge as Gamespot, I love Giant Bomb more.
 
Can't wait to hear the Bombcast recaps. Keep up the good work.
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Simplexity

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#34  Edited By Simplexity

Why does 2007 seem like ions ago, oh what I wouldn't give to be young again... 
 
Seriously though you are amazing for making these.

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ArbitraryWater

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#35  Edited By ArbitraryWater

Has it already been 4 years since 2007? Weird. In any case, I'm super glad you do these. The entire "HAZE IS THE SHIT?!?!?" bit (hell, the entire episode) is probably up there with Jeff's Duke Nukem Forever rant in the pantheon of Hotspot greatness. It's a pity that 2008 was such a downer after everyone who mattered left. In fact the only moment from 2008 that I can really remember (besides everyone cool leaving) is Ryan talking about the new Rambo movie and that almost foreshadowing the kind of amazing tangents that were common on the Giant Bombcast.

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chogi

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#36  Edited By chogi

Is Les Wampas in this? Cause that's my favorite Hotspot moment.

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TheHT

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#37  Edited By TheHT

I only started listening to podcasts when I came here and mainly watched OnTheSpot while at GS, so having realized how awesome these guys are at podcasts this is great.
 
Thanks a bunch!

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daftdethmonkey

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#38  Edited By daftdethmonkey

I am loving these podcasts. I'd forgotten how crazy the whole console launch time frame was and how excited everyone was back then. 
 
Cannot wait for the inevitable  '08 Arrow Pointing Down/Bombcast episodes.

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chibi_kaji

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#39  Edited By chibi_kaji

Whoa, Vinny was the host after Jeff was fired? I never knew that.

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Zinc

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#40  Edited By Zinc
@Chibi_Kaji: I'm fairly sure that Vinny became host after Rich left.
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DjCmeP

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#41  Edited By DjCmeP

Thanks for this.

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chibi_kaji

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#42  Edited By chibi_kaji
@Zinc said:
" @Chibi_Kaji: I'm fairly sure that Vinny became host after Rich left. "
Yeah, the guy mentions it at the start. I shouldn't be shocked since I stopped going to Gamespot after Jeff was fired.
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alkufai

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#43  Edited By alkufai

Good old times, thx for this man.

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angelfan91

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#44  Edited By angelfan91

The ending about Jeff's firing was incredibly sobering.  Thank you so much for these. :)

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Vigil80

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#45  Edited By Vigil80

Holy crap, I have so much to go through. I thought it was crazy enough to start over at the beginning of the Bombcast, but I now see I need to go back even further. 
 
You're a prince for putting this together.

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ErrorOperator

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#46  Edited By ErrorOperator

Is anyone else having trouble downloading the second part?

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YoThatLimp

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#47  Edited By YoThatLimp

What are the two songs at the end of the first part?

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zanzibarbreeze

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#48  Edited By zanzibarbreeze
@Metalideth said:
" What are the two songs at the end of the first part? "
Two songs from the Suburban All Stars.
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Hardgamer

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#49  Edited By Hardgamer

Thanks. I needed that. Here's a 48th blog and/or post to you.

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planetary

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#50  Edited By planetary

In a fit of nostalgia, I again looked up the This Year podcast collections, which I enjoyed enormously -- well, more than a decade ago, and once a couple times since.

For this curious, you can still find the files here: https://fourble.co.uk/podcast/thisyearcoll -- just look for "Hotspot", "Bombcast", and "Ryan Davis".

@zanzibarbreeze really captured to me what was the golden age of gaming podcasts, around 2005 to 2013. From the Hotspot to the Giant Bombcast up until Ryan's passing.

I know the site's moved on (several times now), and even audio-only recordings have become less relevant -- but to me those were the pinnacle years. Alas, nothing lasts forever.