Two Broke Nerds

Brian and Alec discuss the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live."

Alec and Brian decided to use the "Barbie" movie to discuss other movies based on toys. They talk about that subject half of the time. Enjoy.

Ever timely, Alec and Brian discuss the work of Paul Reubens aka Pee-Wee Herman who passed away July 20, 2023. The episode goes off the rails in a way that we think Reubens would appreciate.

All our episodes have random tangents, but this one was so off topic, it had to be trimmed from the episode "Hello, are you enjoying your dystopia today?" But here it is for your listening pleasure.

So because we're living in the worst timeline and basically the dystopia we've been warned about our entire lives in movies, literature and TV, we decided to talk about dystopian art and just the general mess that is our society. Fun!

With the recent announcement of projects like TV series based on "Harry Potter" and "Twilight," more "Lord of the Rings" movies and a live action version of "Moana," Alec and Brian discuss franchises that need to leave well enough alone and just stop.

Two Broke Nerds celebrates its third anniversary by taking requests from its loyal listeners. Joel Barber suggested discussing projects that were announced that didn't happen and franchises that you wish had caught on.

Hey, everyone! We made it to 50 episodes! And for our 50th episode we wanted to talk about a couple of our favorite comedians who are no longer with us: Robin Williams and George Carlin. That leads into a larger discussion free speech, cancel culture and comedy in general.

Alec and Brian discuss the mixed bag that is the Jurassic Park/World franchise. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Timely as ever, Alec and Brian finally discuss Disney+'s "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series and make their suggestions on what should happen in a second or third season. There may be a lot of giggling involved. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We always go off on tangents on Two Broke Nerds. It is kind of our thing. But on our clickbait episode, we went way off topic — even for us and it had to be cut to make the episode flow better. It was a worthwhile discussion or Marvel and toxic fandom, so here it is for your listening pleasure.

Clay Groves on Magic 104 has been call us the most offensive podcast on the internet, now you finally hear why. And also learn about a clickbait article by Spin claiming to list "The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Brian and Alec finally discuss "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and inevitably get off topic and discuss the other corners of the MCU. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Alec and Brian have spoken about Batman before and they will likely again, but amazingly it two them two years to dedicate a full episode to the Dark Knight. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Alec and Brian finish their food trilogy by talking about their favorite international cuisine. The broke nerds also debut their new theme music, "Seattle Skies," which was original written for their musical "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Better late than never, Brian and Alec dive into the first three Marvel Disney+ shows, "WandaVision," "Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and "Loki" and discussion the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The broke nerds are backing with the next installment in their food trilogy. This time they're talking about their favorite junk foods, including chips, candies, snake cakes and cookies. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

There's a lot of snobbery around fast food, but the broke nerds won't deny that they eat it, probably more often than they should. Get ready for a discussion that deep dives into the good, the bad and possibly not even food of fast food. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

A couple months ago, we read a few scenes from the musical we wrote together "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds." Here are some outtakes featuring Doug Shapiro, Tristan Andrews-Preston and Ashley Kerr.

This week, Alec and Brian discuss bands whose sound changed drastically from where they started. These are artists whose first albums barely resemble the signature sound they would later be associated with. Bands discussed include Sugar Ray, Goo Goo Dolls, The Beatles, Alanis Morissette, Depeche Mode, Bad Religion and more. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Yes, it is true. Brian McElhiney and Alec Kerr wrote a musical, "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds," a sequel/spin off to Alec's play "Conflict of Interest." As one might expect, it is super silly and geeky but also has a lot of heart. It is the story of down-on-their-luck band hitting the road with a journalist for a cross-country trip to a battle of the bands in Albuquerque. Along the way, they pickup a mysterious girl. Alec and Brian discuss the origins of the musical and their creative process, preview three scenes with the help of Doug Shapiro, Joel Barber, Tristan Andrews-Preston and Ashley Kerr and end things with Brian's favorite song from the musical, "Seattle Skies." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It has been a full year of "Two Broke Nerds," so we're going to extra self indulgent and promote our own work again. For the first time on the podcast, discusses his music, and Alec discusses his latest play, "Conflict of Interest," which was performed via Zoom is available now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aQkI_2JYLME. The nerds also tease how their creative sides combined into a new project. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

After teasing it for more months, we are finally doing our episode of our favorite sequels that aren't really talked about enough. We aren't talking about obviously great sequels like "Empire Strikes Back," but unsung gems like "Shock Treatment," "Batman Forever," "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey," "Gremlins 2" and "Wayne's World 2." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Inspired by the weird negative backlash Phoebe Bridgers received for her guitar-smashing performance on "Saturday Night Live," the broke nerds discuss sexism in the music industry. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Brian and Alec and share some of the music that you wouldn't necessarily expect them to like and explore the negative stigma associated with pop music. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, Brian and Alec discuss their love of Asylum Films, the company behind mockbusters like "Almighty Thor" and "Transmorphers" and cheapie monster movies like "Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus" and the "Sharknado" franchise. From their they go on discuss other bad, or perhaps not-so-bad movies they love unapologetically. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

After a month-long hiatus, we're back for our first episode of 2021 to discuss memories of our firsts: First album, first concert, first movie, first, crush, etc. This week, Alec's wife, Ashley, joins in on the fun. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we discuss the implications of the announcement that Warner Bros. will be releasing all of its 2021 films to theaters and HBO Max on the same day. Is this the beginning of the end of cinemas or will movie theaters still have a place in the future?  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We got silly (what's new?) before recording our latest episode. Luckily, the record button was hit and some of it was captured.

This week we pay tribute to acting legend Sean Connery who passed away on Oct. 31, 2020, at the age of 90. Brace yourself for an abundance of Connery impressions.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Brian and Alec discuss Robert Zemeckis' new adaptation of Roald Dahl's "The Witches" as well as Dahl's other works, including both film versions of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Danny the Champion of the World, "The BFG" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." There's also a brief detour to discuss the film versions of Stephen King's "The Shining" and "Doctor Sleep" because why not? It isn't "Two Broke Nerds" without at least one random tangent. Happy Halloween! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Alec and Brian are joined by their third guest: horror filmmaker Corey Norman who is in pre-production on the new 1980s-style slasher "Time's Up." Norman discusses being an indie filmmaker during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as some of his other films, including his Stephen King adaptation "Suffer the Little Children." For information on or two support "Time's Up" go to indiegogo.com/projects/time-s-up-a-feature-horror-film#. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We are back with our second guest: New York-based actor Doug Shapiro. Doug discusses how working as a business role-player and standardized patient has kept him a float while acting gigs have largely dried up during the pandemic as well as other ways he's adapted as an actor to the new normal. In addition, we talk about some of the more interesting items on his resume including touring as the emcee of 1940s big band tribute show, appearing in a Troma film at age 11 and appearing in Spike Lee's "She's Got Have It" Netflix series. For more information about Doug Shapiro, go to dougshapiro.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

For the first episode of season two, the nerds are joined by their first guest, Joel Barber, to discuss his comedy zine Million Dollar Underwear. To check it out go to milliondollarunderwearzine.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

For the season one finale, discover the secret origins of Brian and Alec as they share their influences, discuss why they became entertainment journalists and revisit their early days together at Keene State College's student newspaper, The Equinox. In the process, they go off on several tangents because, of course they do, and return to past subjects from over the season. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who passed away at the age of 43 on Aug. 28, 2020, from colon cancer. He was an actor best-known for playing Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as such historical figures as James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and Jackie Robinson. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, Alec and Brian have a difficult discussion about "The Ren and Stimpy Show," a show that was a huge part of both their childhoods, but the legacy of which has been tainted by its creator John K.'s reprehensible behavior. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe and delve into the self-contained films vs. the serialized storytelling.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, Alec and Brian discuss some of their favorite bands from film and TV. While it is structure as a top 10 list, there are several tangents of honorable mentions that helps make this a pretty comprehensive look at the subject matter. To listen the bands discussed as well as some others not mention check out this accompanying playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Uf9RGKjOtvERnuieV3noX --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It is time to listen to two nerds talk about the fab four. Will Maxwell's silver hammer come down upon Alec's head? Will Brian reveal himself to be a real nowhere man? Join us on our magical mystery podcast. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Part two of our shameless self-promotion series focuses on Brian's comic book “The Wounding Tooth,” a sci-fi adventure with dinosaurs in spaces The comic is available at thewoundingtooth.thecomicseries.com/ and facebook.com/thewoundingtooth/. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In a world full of emotional pitfalls, one geeky teen will join forces with his two best friends to face his insecurities. Comedy. Drama. Doritos. Get ready to figure out Will. “Figuring Out Will” is a coming-of-age story written by Alec Kerr that made its debut at the NYSummerfest Theater Festival at the Hudson Guild Theater in Manhattan August 2018. This radio play version stars Tristan Andrews-Preston, Ciara Neidlinger and Jason Stevens.

This week, Brian interviews Alec about his radio play "Figuring Out Will." They discuss the writing process, the play's debut in New York City in 2018 and how the play was adapted for the radio play format. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In honor of Zack Snyder getting to have his cut of "Justice League," which seems like it will be keep anything and everything in, we are not editing anything out this week. Alec and Brian dive into the DCEU and vent their frustrations about the wasted potential of "Justice League." Buckle up. This one is quite the journey of random tangents. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Q: Are we not men? A: We are Devo fans through and through. Brian and Alec go deep into their love of all things Devo, so join them fellow mutants and spudboys (and girls) into a journey of our continual devolution. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Alec and Brian talk about one of their favorite comedies, "Blazing Saddles," which, with its commentary on racism, is still all too relevant. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Alec and Brian take a break from geeking out about some of their favorite things to address what's been going on our country through a discussion of systemic racism, white privilege, passing for white, free speech vs. hate speech and other issues connected to Black Lives Matter.

Actor Fred Willard, a frequent collaborator with writer/director/actor Christopher Guest, passed away May 15, 2020, at the age of 86. Alec and Brian pay tribute to him by discussing his work in Guest's series of mockumentaries, including "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We actually did a marathon recording of the "Lord of the Ring" and "Hobbit" episodes. Brian made tea in the pause between the recording of the two episodes. Luckily, we are able to capture and preserve this magical moment.

Part 2 of our look into Peter Jackson's Tolkien film adaptations. This time we explore Jackson's "Hobbit" trilogy aka the bad ones. We do find a couple of kind things to say, but for the most part this is a — as Gollum would say — "stupid, fat hobbit." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Another two part episode, as Alec and Brian get in touch with their inner Smeagols to discuss Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. Next week, they will go full Gollum and rip into Jackson's "Hobbit" movies.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app