The Tao of Lloyd
Podcast Fact Sheet & Overview
Elevator Pitch
What if Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything grew up, got political, and accidentally became a spiritual teacher? The Tao of Lloyd features Lloyd as a middle-aged dissident broadcasting "mixtapes of sacred refusal and midlife mischief from the burned-out cassette deck of the multiverse—straight into the algorithmic hellscape of late stage everything."
Basic Information
Format: Satirical first-person audio podcast
Episode Length: 10-15 minutes
Release Schedule: Weekly on Tuesdays
Season 1: 24 episodes
Launch Date: June 2025
Current Status: 3 episodes released, as of July 8, 2025)
Creator/Host: Dennis Trainor Jr.
Voice: Lloyd Dobler (fictional character)
Location: Boston, MA
Platform Availability
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms:
Website: https://www.taooflloyd.com
Social Media: https://linktr.ee/taooflloyd
Core Concept
The Tao of Lloyd imagines Lloyd Dobler as a "quantum echo bouncing off the VHS shelf of the multiverse" who has lived through decades of American political upheaval and accidentally discovered wisdom along the way. Each episode blends:
Taoist philosophy
"Sort-of guided meditations" for modern anxiety
Political commentary on Trump 2.0 and late-stage capitalism
Gen X cultural nostalgia and mixtape metaphors
Anti-guru spirituality that rejects hierarchy and commercialization
Target Audience
Primary: Gen X progressives (ages 45-60) seeking authentic spiritual guidance without commercialized wellness culture
Secondary:
Political activists experiencing burnout
Meditation practitioners tired of apps and gurus
Entertainment/culture consumers interested in nostalgic character evolution
Podcast enthusiasts drawn to innovative format
Key Themes
Sacred Refusal: Strategic non-participation in harmful systems
Anti-Guru Philosophy: "I'm not the truth. I'm the boombox pointing at it."
Mindful Resistance: Presence as protest against algorithmic distraction
Imperfect Practice: Meditation for people who "meditate badly"
Political Spirituality: Inner work that doesn't ignore outer chaos
Episode Format
Opening: Lloyd's signature welcome and context-setting
Core Content: "Sort-of guided meditation" with interruptions from "monkey mind"
Philosophy: Taoist wisdom applied to contemporary challenges
Practical Guidance: Breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques
Closing: "From the edge of empire and the center of self"
Creator Background
Dennis Trainor Jr. is a writer, actor, producer, and filmmaker. His Edinburgh Fringe hit Manifest Destiny's Child wascalled "a refreshingly self-aware and honest perspective" by The Scotsman. As a filmmaker, his on-the-ground documentary on the Occupy movement, American Autumn: an Occudoc garnered critical acclaim ("Calm, and smart, offsetting its stridency with humor" – New York Times, "Impresses where many docs disappoint" – Variety). He was the creator, host, and producer of two nationally syndicated TV programs: Acronym TV and The Resistance Report ("Cuts through the crap, tells the truth and can even make you laugh" - HuffPost Live).
His acting career spans regional and international stages, with notable acting credits including The Inheritance parts 1 and 2 at SpeakEasy Stage, How I Learned to Drive with Actors' Shakespeare Project, and his critically acclaimed solo performance Manifest Destiny's Child at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
As a playwright, his plays include Manifest Destiny's Child ("Under the direction of Broadway heavyweight David Esbjornson, Trainor puts fire in the belly of politics and makes this a compelling, entertaining hour" -UK Theatre; Plug, ("A clever, infectious, caffeinated jolt" – Village Voice) and I Coulda Been A Kennedy ("an ambitious yawp of a play, surreal and boisterous and full of political choler." – Time Out NY).
The Tao of Lloyd is his first podcast project.
Press Angles
Entertainment/Culture: "Lloyd Dobler grows up and gets political"
Spirituality: "Anti-guru offers meditation for the skeptical"
Political: "Sacred refusal as resistance strategy"
Podcast Industry: "Meta-fictional audio experiment breaks genre boundaries"
Contact Information
Press Inquiries: Dennis Trainor Jr [loyddobler@taooflloyd.com]
General Contact: [loyddobler@taooflloyd.com]
Website: taooflloyd.com
Press Materials: taooflloyd.com/press
Mixtapes of sacred refusal and midlife mischief, broadcast from the burned-out cassette deck of the multiverse—straight into the algorithmic hellscape of late stage everything.