Even after many hundreds of episodes, the hosts of the podcast Hollywood Handbook are not sure what it's about. This comedy show grew and changed so much over the years that it developed its own language. There are inside jokes and recurring bits, and even guests sometimes get confused. Listeners who manage to get over the initial barrier might end up falling in love. They may start listening to the podcast for the famous guests, but they stay for the boys' smart and quirky jokes.

The podcast was a satire when Hayes Davenport and Sean Clements began recording it in 2013. Their goal was to make fun of how fake the entertainment industry was by pretending to be big stars. They'd talk about their impressive made-up resumes and share fictional experiences as actors. They'd offer advice to novices in the business which had no basis in reality.

As the years passed, Hollywood Handbook shapeshifted multiple times. At some point, the hosts' main gimmick was to be jealous of other, more successful podcasts. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, when the podcast was on Zoom, it became all about PR. The boys invited famous actors to the show and explained to them how they could present better in the media. One example is an episode with comedian Scott Aukerman. The hosts watched his 60 Minutes interview and offered their opinions on what he did wrong.

In its current iteration, Hollywood Handbook is still challenging to describe. Every week, the hosts invite famous stars, like director Adam McKay. On occasion, the guests miss the concept completely, like with comedian Pauly Shore. It's almost more entertaining to listen to the ones who don't understand what's going on. It's like watching an improv show where people forget they should say, "Yes, and."

New episodes of Hollywood Handbook air weekly.