Sklar Brothers: Hipster Ghosts

Ghosts in pop culture are almost always nineteenth-century sea captains with mutton chops dragging anchors across the floorboards. Randy and Jason Sklar argue that this is outdated math: people die constantly, which means someone will eventually have their hallway haunted by a guy in an ironic graphic tee quietly judging their coffee beans.

The routine works because of their specific mechanics. They do not operate like a conventional duo with a setup man and a punchline comic. Instead, one brother floats an observation and the other acts as an echo chamber, finishing the thought, adjusting the premise, or adding another layer of annoyance before the crowd can settle.

Filmed at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, the 2017 hour captures the pair during a transitional phase in their careers. Having built a following through their ESPN Classic series Cheap Seats and years hosting the podcast Sklarbro Country, they were moving toward their next audio project, Dumb People Town, alongside guest roles on shows like Better Call Saul and Those Who Can’t.

The material stays anchored to middle-aged domestic life. They bounce between toddler stubbornness, neurotic dog owners at the park, and why receiving a text message that opens with “FYI” functions strictly as hostility.