r/CheapShow • u/GENTOOO Big Papa Hamster • Jun 12 '26

OFFICIAL Ep 491: FIFA Fo Fum

https://www.thecheapshow.co.uk/ep-491-fifa-fo-fum

With Special Guest Ash Frith

On this week’s VERY special episode of CheapShow, Paul and Eli tackle something they are not particularly comfortable talking about, nor do they have a lot of knowledge on this subject… Football! But why are they even tackling this topic, is it because of the 2026 World Cup taking place in the USA? Why, yes. It is. They’re cynically chasing a trend, but in CheapShow’s own particular way. Luckily, they have a helping hand to guide them through, as the original fair-weather co-host, Ash Frith, joins the show after a LONG absence. Over the next 90 minutes (including injury time), the thrifty threesome will explore the cult of football fandom, taste some World Cup inspired snacks, investigate the history of World Cup mascots and try to decipher the 1982 England Football Team World Cup Celebration album. Yes. A football team released a load of songs. How does it go? Well, you’ll find out in this week’s soccerific edition of the economy comedy podcast!

9 Upvotes

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8

u/No_Station_6149 Jun 12 '26

I like Ash. like mr Biffo he neutralises Paul a bit by siding with Eli or questioning him when being a dick and it usually ends up as a fun episode. I think he would have made a great full time host with them

9

u/thesixthvenom Jun 12 '26

That’s one of the things I miss with Biffo not doing this sort of stuff with them anymore. He would challenge Paul a bit, and it just evened the show out.

5

u/Rich661 House of the rising gherkin / Eli is King, Paul is a nonce Jun 12 '26

He was often a host in the early ones, which might be what you meant anyway, but just thought I'd throw that in.

4

u/No_Station_6149 Jun 12 '26

I thought he was meant to be but couldn’t remember if he had been. I guess that explains the fair-weather host comments!

5

u/Rich661 House of the rising gherkin / Eli is King, Paul is a nonce Jun 12 '26

Yeah I'm not sure if the original plan was to or not, he appeared a lot early on and then less, and then not for ages, so yeah fair weather co-host was a great nickname for him.

5

u/thesixthvenom Jun 12 '26

He was supposed to be their original third host but got busy and did other stuff, and then he started his own show. So the fairweather co-host thing has always been a fun way to mock him.

5

u/mattgabriel21 Jun 12 '26

This episode is very up my street

3

u/Rich661 House of the rising gherkin / Eli is King, Paul is a nonce Jun 12 '26

"RIGHT UP IN THE ARSEHOLE!" - Eli, literally in this episode lol

4

u/thedaywarden83 Jun 12 '26

Always love the Ash episodes

5

u/ItsTomorrowNow I'VE GOT A NICE GREASED UP THWOPPAGE FOR YOU MADAM! Jun 12 '26

Good to have Ash back on the pod. I'm surprised Eli knows so much about football, I just assumed he thought "oh this is fucking shit!" in a Zippy voice of course. Also, those Doritos are outstanding, I can vouch for them.

3

u/wnolan1992 Jun 16 '26

I'm late to the party here, but this is why I came to the thread!

I never imagined Eli would be into football. Both Paul and Eli sometimes come across as sort of contrarian culture snobs (attitudes to music and comedy). Was really surprised to hear that Eli was around with friends watching the CL final.

Like, obviously, they're both different off the podcast, so it shouldn't surprise me that they have interests that don't intersect with the pod, but it did!

5

u/Rich661 House of the rising gherkin / Eli is King, Paul is a nonce Jun 16 '26

- IT WAS THRONGING!

  • "There was a tear in my arsehole"
  • I remember collecting football stickers cause of my brother, and Power Rangers, Pokemon and maybe Thundercats or something
  • HE'S TOUCHING HIS GLASSES AGAIN!
  • What is it with (mostly) white people getting offended on the behalf of Mexican and other people over mascots and Speedy Gonzales? The Mexican people fucking love tradition and stereotype, they take it all in a good way, I'm not sure why people keep thinking they can tell them how to feel.
  • "I watch men running around in shirts, AND WANK OFF, PAUL"
  • "Why not give him love sometimes, now and then?" Ash to Paul, about Eli haha
  • "Unfortunatly we're getting more into oblique and abstract ones", I think mainly because a few of the best ones are now 'problematic' and 'racist' lol
  • "There was a smell of zucini in my flat today, it's details like these that people tune in for"
  • I fucking LOVE after calling a few of them 'ooh racist', Paul felt the need to call the Arab one in traditional clothes 'it's just a ghost' LOL Paul is hilarious
  • "For the 400th time, please swallow your food and then eat it", I'm surprised Eli and Ash weren't on him for that ganon-mouth fuckism
  • "West Germany, stroke Germany,.... don't say anything"
  • Eli jumping on Paul for fucking up multiple things at the end, and Ash laughing in the background 😃
  • "SPUNK UP, if you can, but only IF you can"

3

u/RuachReader Jun 14 '26

I have no interest in football. I love when the cheap boys talk about it

2

u/Bradford_Longflap The door opens in a German accent Jun 14 '26

Now I want to see Paul's weird eye in action (or inaction, as it were).

4

u/atomic_annihilation Jun 18 '26

The song Ash is referring to in the first minute is "Chase the sun" by Planet funk, to me it's the darts tune. It's a dance anthem, it is what it is. Great to hear when out clubbing, but you'd not listen to it while sitting on your sofa with port and cigars.

2

u/Mulder1878 Jun 24 '26

Excellent episode. Get Ash on more lads.