One does not simply walk into serious discussion… Fool of a Took Podcast is a show where deep lore meets even deeper nonsense!
Enter the Shire-adjacent mind of Chris, your host, guide, and certified Fool of a Took as he sets out to read The Lord of the Rings for the very first time, joined by his book-loving wife RJ, fellow first-time reader and baker Laura, and Laura’s husband Patrick, a devoted Tolkien super-fan.
Fool of a Took is your book-club companion through Middle-earth—whether you’re discovering LOTR for the first time, revisiting it again, or geeking out as a lifelong Tolkien fan.
One does not simply walk into serious discussion… Fool of a Took Podcast is a show where deep lore meets even deeper nonsense!
Enter the Shire-adjacent mind of Chris, your host, guide, and certified Fool of a Took as he sets out to read The Lord of the Rings for the very first time, joined by his book-loving wife RJ, fellow first-time reader and baker Laura, and Laura’s husband Patrick, a devoted Tolkien super-fan.
Fool of a Took is your book-club companion through Middle-earth—whether you’re discovering LOTR for the first time, revisiting it again, or geeking out as a lifelong Tolkien fan.
Kicking off Book 4 in our brand new podcast set, this week we discuss book 4, chapter 1, "The Taming of Sméagol", from The Two Towers. Conversation Topics:
The crew humorously shares their moving day antics and new recording space vibes.
How Frodo and Sam cope with being alone in the wilderness.
An analysis of Gollum versus Smeagol and the complexity of his character.
Delving into Tolkien's philosophical themes through Frodo's choices.
Sam’s heroic yet chaotic moments and deep loyalty to Frodo.
How geographical proximity to Mordor impacts characters.
Integrating humor into high-tension moments, Tolkien style.
The marshmallow "elvish rope" as both treat and tactile excitement.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Hello from the new studio
00:01:22 – Gathering in the new space; the chair saga.
01:22 – Frodo and Sam embark on their daunting chapter.
04:48 – Refuge and challenges in the Emyn Muil
10:04 – The edge of a cliff dilemma.
13:39 – Galadriel’s Rope - a glimmer of hope.
21:51 – Enter Gollum: our little spider monkey.
25:47 – Knife problem or knife solution
31:45 – Gollum's plea and a precarious alliance.
43:55 – Sam’s emotional evolution and role.
57:47 – Catchphrases: Humor, Violence, and Tolkien
01:14:46 – Gollum’s acrobatics and a fall from grace.
01:15:11 – “Food for Thought” Treat Section: Marshmallow "Elvish Rope".
01:20:35 – Next week's teaser: "The Passage of the Marshes".
Today's" Food for Thought": Sam's Marshmallow RopeThe real hero of this chapter was a bit of rope, so we celebrated with some marshmallow rope!I used this recipe for the marshmallow: https://www.sprinklebakes.com/2013/04/homemade-marshmallow-ropes.htmlIt instructs to make the recipe 3 times in 3 different colors, but I stopped after one and left it white. In fact, I added a drop of purple food coloring gel to make it appear whiter. Go ahead and pipe those ropes pretty thick, because I made them too thin and they broke very easily. Finally, I added some edible silver shimmer to some of the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture and also painted some directly onto the finished ropes for some Elven magic.
Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed todays episode, give us a like and subscribe and share this video with someone who likes The Lord of the Rings. Content Warning: ExplicitSupport the pod on Youtube! @FoolofaTookPodcast Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/foolofatookpodcast/)TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@foolofatookpodcast) Original music for the show composed by Chris NewhardGot a question? Email us Foolofatookpodcast@gmail.comFollow the fools on IG:Chris (https://www.instagram.com/chrisnewhard)Robbie Jean (https://www.instagram.com/robbiejean815)Pat (https://www.instagram.com/rolling.seas2023)Laura (https://www.instagram.com/kennylaura525)Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fool-of-a-took-podcast/id1770780731)Listen on Spotify Link (https://open.spotify.com/show/0e3myYq2eUbKMMtiV7qAl7)