Beta Male Book Club

The BMBC has the cure for your coronavirus blues: A brand new episode with a twist. First, they hit you with a dramatic reading of Dennis Lehane's short story "Animal Rescue." In the latter half of the podcast, they offer their takeaways, both profound and inane, from the short story. They also break down the film adaptation, The Drop. You do not want to miss this... it's not like you have anything better to do during quarantine. 04:11 Dramatic Reading of "Animal Rescue" 46:58 Book Club

The BMBC breaks down Ben Lerner's latest novel, The Topeka School. There are some seriously differing takes on this one. They also try some new offerings from some of the heavy hitters in the snack world, including Coca Cola, Cheez It, and Goldfish. Snacks and books. This is what the Beta Male Book Club represents. 01:20 The Topeka School 31:54 The Taco Truck

The BMBC takes a deep dive into the brand new Amazon Prime original series Modern Love. They go episode by episode and offer a well rounded critique of the series. Plus, they talk about how Aaron Paul absolutely rules in El Camino. Any podcast? 02:15 Modern Love 46:41 The Streaming Spotlight

The BMBC breaks down Proxima Parada's latest album, Kind Reminder. Nikolaj pulls a story from the archives of his brain and describes his foray into the music industry and a wild night of rock and roll partying. You don't want to miss this one. 07:25 Kind Reminder

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Joker. The guys discuss the history of the iconic villain and the various iterations of him in cinema and television. They also give their takes on Todd Phillips' new film and some of the decisions he made with the character. 07:45 The Thrift Shop 28:00 Joker

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Alex North's chilling debut novel, The Whisper Man. They cast the novel, discuss the mysteries of the plot, and give some hot takes on the serial killer game. They also jump into The Taco Truck for a fall flavor preview. 01:45 The Whisper Man 48:33 The Taco Truck

The BMBC takes a deep dive into cinema and space, breaking down Ad Astra. Nikolaj and Jason discuss the mysteries of the universe, including but not limited to the gracefully aging and ever handsome Brad Pitt. They also fire up the metaphorical griddle for a breakfast themed Taco Truck and round out the mystery theme with a new offering from Oreo. 02:25 Ad Astra 39:08 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down Bon Iver's latest offering, I,I. They also take an extended trip into the Taco Truck with a "savory" edition. There are new Doritos, Pringles, and Chex Mix to be had. 03:05 I,I 18:45 The Taco Truck

The BMBC takes a deep dive into HBO's Hard Knocks with the Oakland Raiders. From Jon Gruden to Antonio Brown to everyone in between, the guys preview the NFL season and Jason gives his new outlook on the hometown Redskins. They also do a "sweets" edition of the Taco Truck. 01:45 Hard Knocks 51:40 The Taco Truck

The BMBC sits down for an interview with Chris Andrews, author of Then One Day... 40 Years of Bookmaking in Nevada. Andrews' storytelling and insight into the Nevada gambling scene make this book an unforgettable debut. Beyond his inspiration for the book, Andrews discusses his start as a writer, his take on the horses, and some of the action he took on the Mayweather - McGregor bout. Plus, we discuss Week 1 of the College Football season and Andrew Luck's retirement decision.

The BMBC takes a deep dive into The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead's latest novel. One of the hosts didn't even crack the book open. Can you guess who? Beyond that, they discuss Nikolaj's harrowing interactions with wildlife and a wild night out on the town. 11:40 The Nickel Boys

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Basketball or Nothing, a new docu-series on Netflix. They discuss the ins and outs of sports documentaries, high school hoops, and whether or not Justin could've dominated on the Navajo Rez. They also tear into a new bag of Oreo cookies. 08:32 Basketball or Nothing 46:02 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down By and By, the latest folk offering from Caamp. Justin, it turns out, isn't into the folk scene. They also jump back into Nik's favorite segment, The Taco Truck, for some Oreos and Smartfood offerings. Plus, Jason spins a yarn about a near-tragic Uber accident. 01:30 By and By 29:10 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down Quentin Tarantino's latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. They compare Brad Pitt to Leonardo DiCaprio and rank their favorite Tarantino flicks. They also talk Sharon Tate, Charles Manson, and all things Summer of '69 minus Bryan Adams. 03:29 Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood

The BMBC takes a deep dive into the latest season of Last Chance U. The Netflix Original picks back up in Independence, KS and the BMBC has you covered with all of the ins and outs of the series. They tackle Jason Brown's coaching style, Bobby Bruce's tragic final run at Indy, and lots more. 04:00 Last Chance U

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Rory Power's Wilder Girls. This YA Thriller brings out some hot takes and strong opinions from the BMBC crew. One of the hosts didn't finish the book and one of the hosts wishes he didn't. 00:55 Wilder Girls

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Ed Sheeran's latest album, No. 6 Collaborations Project. The opinions vary wildly on this one. The boys also get into the latest stand-up offerings from Ramy Youssef and Aziz Ansari. 03:30 No. 6 Collaborations Project 47:27 The Comedy Corner

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Spider-Man: Far From Home. They swoon over Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Holland. Marisa Tomei, too. Is Super Hero Fatigue a thing? Is the Marvel Universe getting too confusing? Is Justin back from vacation? All that and more. 6:25 Spider-Man: Far From Home

The BMBC breaks down the new film Yesterday. They talk about their favorite hits from The Beatles (or lack thereof) and they eat chips into microphones. Kyle is in for Justin again. If you've seen Justin anywhere, please let us know. We're concerned. 05:04 Yesterday 48:23 The Taco Truck

The BMBC delves into their official June Book Club selection: Then One Day... 40 Years of Bookmaking in Nevada by Chris Andrews. They talk about some of their favorite stories from the book, some of their Vegas memories, and lots more. Plus, they launch into a tangent about cheap people in their lives and finish up by turning The Streaming Spotlight onto an interesting new season of MTV's The Real World. Justin is still nowhere to be found. Has anybody heard from him? 04:35 Then One Day... 36:20 The Unfollow 47:10 Final Ratings 52:05 The Streaming Spotlight

The BMBC does a deep dive into the Netflix television series Tales of the City. Justin may or may not still be in Shanghai. Nobody knows. They also talk about Logic's novel and accompanying soundtrack, Supermarket. 06:20 Tales of the City 33:38 The Supermarket

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Avicii's posthumously released album, TIM. They attempt to construct a Mount Rushmore of EDM artistry and fail miserably, which gives you a pretty good idea of how they did when it came time to review the actual album. Plus, a special edition Worldwide Taco Truck segment that would make Pitbull proud. 6:06 TIM 42:51 The Taco Truck

The BMBC does a deep dive on Stewart O'Nan's novel, Last Night at the Lobster. They tell a few stories from their days in the restaurant industry and rank their favorite chain restaurants. As always, the guys get into skits and bits for the second half of the show. 3:15 Last Night at the Lobster 37:48 Skits & Bits

The BMBC takes a deep dive into the new film Booksmart. They break into a ton of tangents about high school and summer time flicks. They also dive face deep into a bag of Oreos. Valar dohaeris. 03:08 Booksmart 51:45 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down Sally Rooney's new novel, Normal People. Justin is in Florida so Nikolaj and Jason do the heavy lifting this episode. It's the first heavy lifting either has done in quite some time. The guys also eat a new flavor of Oreo cookies and ready themselves for the finale of Games of Thrones. 5:35 Book Club - Normal People 54:29 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down Vampire Weekend's new album Father of the Bride. One of the hosts didn't finish the album but he finished his bagel and you'll hear plenty of that. The guys also discuss the drama-filled trivia night from earlier in the week and give some hot takes on metro etiquette. 04:50 Father of the Bride 49:55 The Unfollow

The BMBC breaks down Ramy, Hulu's newest original comedy series. They also weigh in on the latest action from Game of Thrones and bellyflop their way through some trivia questions from the television series The Office. 15:38 Ramy 49:37 The Nerds Watch 65:30 The Office Trivia

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Avengers: Endgame. Guest host Brendan joins the boys to discuss their favorite moments, biggest disappointments, and put a bow on the Avengers series. They also preview tonight's episode of Game of Thrones and predict the big winners and losers of the battle. Plus, Jason completely flops on a Skittles taste test. 03:42 Avengers: Endgame 55:35 The Nerds Watch 85:30 The Taco Truck

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Anderson .Paak's latest album, Ventura. They also taste some interesting new SmartFood Popcorn flavors and rank their favorite cookie flavors. Plus, there's a fair share of moronic bro'ing. 03:24 Album Review - Ventura 33:40 The Taco Truck

The BMBC sits down for an interview with Peter Heller, author of the April Book Club Selection: The River. Heller's gripping language sets the table for an intense, page-turning thriller. Beyond his stunning inspiration for the novel, Heller discusses his background with wilderness expeditions. Heller also opens up about a few of his upcoming projects. We also talk some Tiger Woods, hip hop music, and tons more. You don't want to miss this one.

The BMBC does a deep dive into Peter Heller's thrilling novel, The River. Nikolaj's dad, Jorgen, joins the show as our special guest reviewer and leaves us all wondering how none of the overall literacy has made its way into Nikolaj's brain. Plus, we preview Game of Thrones final season, touching on some popular theories and our best bets to sit on the Iron Throne. 03:34 Book Club - The River 59:07 The Nerds Watch

The BMBC breaks down the new Netflix nature documentary series, Our Planet. Nikolaj and Justin have an alarming lack of sympathy for wildlife. Plus, the guys do a special Easter Edition of The Taco Truck and talk a little Final Four gambling. 03:01 Our Planet 36:09 The Taco Truck 64:13 The Barber Shop

Bonanza Bonus Edition: The BMBC went to see Gary Clark Jr. live at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. last night. Why was Nikolaj so angry during the show? They also went to see Jordan Peele's new flick, Us. Plus, they taste some wild new Lays flavors during The Taco Truck. 01:29 Concert Review 40:17 Us (Spoiler-Free Review) 68:37 The Taco Truck

The BMBC breaks down Gary Clark Jr.'s 3rd studio album, This Land. They also answer some listener questions in The Beta Male Bag and dig into some intriguing almonds on The Taco Truck. 07:35 This Land 47:57 The Beta Male Bag 60:44 The Taco Truck

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Hanif Abdurraqib's Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest. They discuss some of their favorite moments from the book plus the impact of the iconic rap group. Further, they focus the Streaming Spotlight onto the new Netflix film, Triple Frontier. Also, Nikolaj turned 30 and talks all about his birthday blowout bash. 04:37 Go Ahead In The Rain Book Club 49:00 Streaming Spotlight

The BMBC breaks down the MCU's newest offering, Captain Marvel. Beyond that, they debate group text etiquette and Nikolaj regales us with the most uneventful Cancun trip recap in the history of spoken word. 05:58 Captain Marvel 56:02 The Unfollow 65:44 Uneventful Mexico Stories

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Season 3 of HBO's True Detective. They also discuss the Netflix series Dating Around, Nikolaj tells a story from a wild night out, and they examine one girl's dating nightmare. 02:00 - Series Review: True Detective 32:30 - The Left Swipe

The BMBC sits down for an interview with Mesha Maren, author of the February Book Club Selection: Sugar Run. Maren's poetically lyrical, yet harsh and relentless prose set the scene for an incredible debut noir. Beyond her inspiration for the novel, Maren divulges her affinity for fairs and carnival rides, addresses a Lost conspiracy, and hints at what we can expect from her in the future.

The BMBC takes a deep dive into Mesha Maren's debut noir, Sugar Run. They also rate and review an intriguing new menu item at McDonalds. Plus, someone close to the BMBC makes some horrendous travel decisions. 06:00 Sugar Run Book Club 51:05 The Taco Truck 64:52 The Unfollow

The BMBC breaks down SyFy Network's series "Nightflyers." They also discuss some troubling social media behavior and dive into the best and worst in dating apps for 2019. 01:16 Series Review - Nightflyers 30:46 The Unfollow 40:02 The Left Swipe

The BMBC does a deep dive into Maggie Rogers' debut album, Heard It in a Past Life. Plus, the BMBC went speed dating! Nikolaj also hints at a bombshell reveal in The Unfollow. 04:10 Album Review - Heard It in a Past Life 42:24 The Left Swipe 60:45 The Unfollow 65:00 The Streaming Spotlight 68:49 The Thrift Shop

The BMBC breaks down Glass, Nikolaj loses his mind, and they break down some alternatives to the Super Bowl. 04:35 The Thrift Shop 20:50 Film Review - Glass 36:35 Nikolaj goes off the rails 38:30 The Barber Shop

The BMBC breaks down Chris Hammer's debut thriller, Scrublands. We also talk about Doritos. 06:00 Scrublands Book Club 39:37 Justin goes to the bathroom 50:40 Rating Scrublands 57:50 The Taco Truck 68:59 The VR Headset

Nikolaj, Justin, and Jason welcome you to the Beta Male Book Club. The guys introduce themselves and outline the concept of the show. Hilarity may or may not (but probably not) ensue.

Welcome to the Beta Male Book Club. Subscribe to the show on iTunes and check us out on Instagram and Facebook. Our first Book Club Podcast drops on Sunday, January 27th. Jason, Nikolaj, and Justin will break down Chris Hammer's debut thriller, Scrublands.